


Love on a Leash

by LunarLeo



Series: Dog Pile [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Air Force Veteran Jack, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety In Many Forms, Army Veteran Gabriel, Coping In Many Forms (Mildly unhealthy at times), F/M, Gabriel On His BS, Gencio - Freeform, Gonna update these as we go kiddos, M/M, McHanzo - Freeform, Mentions Past Animal Abuse, Minor character death (OC), Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Side relationships: - Freeform, Trans Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, dog park au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-03-28 11:19:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13902918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarLeo/pseuds/LunarLeo
Summary: He went to the dog park because cooping up a farm dog in a small apartment is a bad idea. And yet somehow Jack finds himself in the semi circle of other owners making small talk and being invited places. Well, it was one way to make friends in a new city.





	1. Right Hound Man

**Author's Note:**

> Beta: yepiamthesmileyface  
> Mostly on tumblr/twitter, please yell at me about this fic! Gotta kerp the wheels turning ( lunarli0n / anxious_luna ) 
> 
> Hiatus cause my pc is broken!

So, maybe Jack should have planned this better. Or, perhaps he could have just waited the few more weeks for summer to properly hit. While it wasn't exactly cold, it was pretty muddy. The last patches of snow were slowly melting in the sun, the dirt having mixed into the white, turning it a dark brown. And that definitely wasn't helping the turf quality. He figured the weather would definitely deter a lot of people. Usually, when he was on a run past the area, only a few people were there on the  less idyllic days. Then again, maybe it would be different, he hadn’t gone running this early before. It was just past noon now, and he usually saw the park full around early afternoon. Not that Strike seemed to mind too much, thankfully. The golden retriever had already managed to get absolutely coated in mud all on her own, stick in mouth as she ran around at top speed. At least, Jack thought, she would tire herself out this way, which was the ultimate goal here. Too much energy at home had led her down a path of destruction and left him with fewer shoes than he was comfortable with.  
  
Strike bounded over to him, dropping the stick at his feet and bouncing around expectantly. Jack grinned, leaning down to grab the stick. "Maybe now you'll stop chewing everything you see to pieces?" He didn't have too much hope, actually. In the two years he's had her, Strike hadn't calmed down a bit. And the move to a new apartment hadn’t helped, she’d torn all her less durable toys to shreds. Which had been left all over the apartment. Hell, he’d even found some of the scraps under his bed! He had actually been worried, but Angela had assured him it was just boredom. The vet had been the one to suggest he look into local dog parks, since Strike was sociable enough that it would almost certainly do her good. And yeah, maybe she’d had a point. It had been weeks since Strike was able to run so much.  
  
"Hey there! You care if me 'n’ Gunner join ya?" Jack turned at the sound of the voice , seeing a young man half a yard away in the double-gated entry. His dog was barking and bouncing, and Jack followed after Strike as she ran up to bark back, her entire body wagging with excitement at the gate.  
  
"No problem. Strike was getting kind of bored." Jack smiled, hoping desperately that it didn’t look as awkward as it felt, and relaxed minutely as the man smiled back. Jack mentally reviewed all of Angela's assurances and advice as he watched Strike bounce around the gate before gently grabbing her collar to give the other man room. Strike was always exceptionally friendly, golden retrievers were great social dogs if given the proper environment, which Jack had. Just watch for growling. Keep an eye on the dog’s fur, watch for if they get still.. Jack was only a little distracted as the man stood up from unclipping his dogs leash.  
  
"Just checkin’. I’ve met some people that like a field to themselves, so we usually let 'em have one if we can help it." As soon as the gate was open the dog -- Gunner? dashed in, running in a circle around Strike before crouching down as she sniffed him. Jack let her collar go but couldn't help how he tensed up as they interacted, and hovering just in case something went wrong. But Strike just yipped and bolted off, Gunner hot on her heels as they chased, a streak of gold fur and red bandana.  
  
"First time comin’ here?" The man led the way back to the higher ground, one eye out for the dogs as they walked. He was at ease but obviously watching the dogs, and Jack couldn't help but be drawn in by the southern drawl, his awkwardness smoothing out as he watched the man toss and catch a tennis ball in one hand.  
  
"Uh, yeah. Just moved nearby, she was a farm dog before then. Never had any trouble with her, but, still." He tried to relax, mirror the other mans easy-going demeanor. It was easy to forget how nervous he had been earlier, especially as Strike seemed to be having more and more fun with Gunner.  
  
"Nah, it's good to keep an eye on her at first. Most people who come in have their dogs socialized well, but you never know. The name’s Jesse, by the way. Mutt running around with your girl is Gunner." Jesse offered his hand, smile broad and warm.  
  
"Jack," and as he took Jesse' hand he found himself smiling easily, it seemed like Jesse was just the kind of person to do that to others. "Muddy girl is Strike."  
  
"Jesse, how did you get here before me?!" Someone else yelled, and Jack turned to see two men walking up from the opposite gates. They both had a large dog at their hips and Jack wished he knew breeds better. Dog people knew their breeds, and Jack was at the dog park, so obviously he had to become some kind of canine expert. A professional dog person. Wasn't that a requirement? Probably not. It's not like Jesse had immediately started quizzing him. Actually Jesse had been pretty cool. Jack was probably overthinking it, and distantly he could hear Angela scolding him about it.  
  
"Gunner just runs faster than ya!" Jesse hollered back. "That there's Genji with his brother Hanzo, Genji’s the one with the green hair. They usually come up daily with their Akitas. Don't let the big fluffballs fool you, they're sweet as jellybeans outside’a their house." The duo got up the hill and only then did the brothers kneel down to unleash their dogs. Jack was glad for the warning, because up close the dogs were gigantic. Jellybean was definitely not the word he would have picked.  
  
"Sparrow, go play." Genji shooed, but the dog just burrowed it's nose deeper into his hand. "No, no more treats for you! Jesse, where is Gunner? She’s always more willing to play if it’s with Gunner." The happy whuffing sound as Sparrow sniffed Genji’s pocket added a few jellybean points, Jack had to give her that.  
  
"If you did not spoil her then she would be better behaved. Sakura is already doing her rounds." The other, Hanzo, scoffed and Jack held in a laugh. Obviously brothers.  
  
"Gunner is out by the trees with Jack's dog. Y'all gonna keep bickering or...?" Jesse didn't even try not to laugh, shaking his head.  
  
"Right! Sorry!" Genji laughed too, making it easy for Jack to join in without feeling intrusive.  
  
"I suppose all of our dogs are going to be muddy after today." Hanzo sighed and Jack watched as the dark Akita sniffed carefully at Strike while Gunner darted after Sparrow. Strike sniffed back before pouncing at her, rolling onto her back and licking at the larger dogs general direction before Sakura pawed at her and flopped down beside her. The two rolled around, their playful grumbles reaching over the yard.  
  
"Especially if they keep playing like that." Jack groaned, though he didn't really mind. This was going great, Strike was having fun and he was even making small talk. If only every conversation with strangers could be about dogs. He was usually rather bad at small talk, struggling to find common ground. But this? Dogs were good. Pure. He could do this all day.  
  
"Still, the weather should be picking up again soon. You know Ana won't bring Horus if it's this muddy. He always keeps the others in check." Hanzo had sat easily on one of the benches, leash tucked into his backpack beside him.  
  
"Fun police." Genji muttered, in a dark enough way that Jack wondered if Horus had policed him too. Or perhaps it had been this Ana.  
  
"You're just mad because Horus keeps Sparrow from barreling the smaller dogs over." Jesse chipped in, nudging Jack to make sure he was paying attention. The mischief in the man's look was clear.  
  
"She doesn't know how big she is!" The indignant wail had Sparrow barking, though Jack was sure it was more of a boof, and running up.  
  
"Then train her better!" Hanzo didn't miss a beat, and Genji was about to start back up when the giant mass of muddy dog all but launched herself onto him. Jack winced as Genji landed roughly, immediately being assaulted with licks and muddy paws. Gunner was right behind her, joining in on his buddies attentions to her owner.  
  
"Oh, oh gross no, off, bad girl." Genji tried to put his arms up, but mud had already gotten onto his face and in his bright green hair. "Jesse help!"  
  
"Jesse, I will pay you not to help him." Hanzo dead panned, watching his brother struggle.  
  
"Jesse don't listen to him!" Genji panted, clearly losing the struggle as Gunner wiggled under his arms.  
  
"Hmm, whatcha got for me darlin?" Jack watched as Jesse shifted his weight, head tilted slightly like he was thinking hard.  
  
"A trip to the barkery, my treat." Hanzo still had his merciless gaze on Genji, Jesse sighing as his shoulders slumped.  
  
"Ah, Genji. You know Gunner loves that place, I can' say no to-"  
  
"Traitor!" Everyone but Genji fell into laughter, Jack actually having to hold his side. Sakura and Strike had come up to check out the excitement and soon enough all the dogs raced off. Genji was about to help himself up when another hand reached out.  
  
"Hanzo and McCree bullying you again Genji?" Jack startled a bit, having not noticed the other man walk up. The guy practically hauled Genji entirely off his feet but steadied him easily, one handed, and Jack discreetly looked back to the playing dogs because oh. His attention got pulled back when the mans dog nearly knocked him over to race to the other dogs, and then those hands were on him, and yeah ok dude was strong. "Sorry about Bean, you ok?"  
  
"What, me? Yeah, yeah, I mean, Strike does it all the time, I'm good, uh," Jesse laughed and Jack glared, but then the guy was laughing too but Jack didn't feel like he was being laughed at. He took the moment to properly straighten up, ignoring the slight warmth in his cheeks.  
  
"Good, she's a strong girl, you wouldn't have been the first person she's knocked down. I'm Gabriel by the way," And Jack couldn't help but notice that Gabriel hadn't really moved. Still close, but not touching, and Jack wondered if maybe he should shuffle away or if it was fine. If he leaned they'd be brushing shoulders, and it was kind of closer than Jack had been standing with Jesse earlier and Gabriel was kind of looking at him and ok, yeah, Jack knew what that look meant. He was being checked out. The realization sent a hum down his spine and he leaned on his hip, trying to not be as obvious as he looked Gabriel over too. Handsome, that's for sure. Smooth, strong. Jack checked his mental list and was about to make a comment when Strike ran up and demanded to be pet. Right then. No arguing. Jack was a weak man and Strike was a cute dog. Victorious, she got her pettings and Jack got a new coat of mud on his jacket.  
  
"Gabe, dude, using your dog to flirt?" Genji sneered, having brushed as much mud off as he could. Jack was glad Strike had demanded his attention, grateful he'd dodged that bullet, looking between the two as Jesse choked on the air he was breathing while he laughed.  
  
"It's gay culture, Genji." Gabriel dead panned, and that really did Jesse in. At least Jack had been right, that was comforting.  
  
"Gabriel, Gabi, buddy, my dude, my pal. That's straight culture." Jesse wheezed, accepting a water bottle Hanzo was handing him.  
  
"Not anymore, look at this crowd, I don't see a single heterosexual here." But he looked at Jack, eyebrow quirked up and yeah Jack couldn't ignore how his own face flushed as everyone looked at him. Ok, so he was getting quizzed today. Just not about dogs. Was this even a normal conversation? Is this what people talked about? He needed to get out more, but oh, they were still looking at him.  
  
"Uh, yeah, no. Not heterosexual." He hoped it wouldn't get anymore personal than that, and relaxed as they turned back to themselves.  
  
"See? Gay culture. Dog parks are gay culture." Gabriel stated, obviously proud.  
  
"This group is not the majority though." Genji shot back, eyes tracking the dogs again.  
  
"Exactly." As though that furthered his point. Strike finally bolted off back to the group of dogs, her demands having been met. Genji threw his hands into the air, like he knew arguing would get him nowhere, and Jack was pretty sure that entire conversation had just been a subtle but direct way for them to figure out if they could be open around him. Though, really, he was glad for it. He hadn't really made any progress in finding friends since he moved here a few months ago, and he hadn't held out much hope for finding anyone else like him. Jack supposed it was just different now that he wasn't in a small town. Or, that Gabriel was right. Dog parks were just gay culture.

Jack was once again glad that the dog park was close enough to be on his jogging route. Even after Angela had suggested it, he hadn't been so sure. After running past it so often and being able to see all the happy dogs, Jack had caved. It wasn't a hard decision to make really, he was just hesitant about new things. He'd agonized for months in highschool deciding which college to go to, then after that he'd struggled with the decision to join the Air Force. When that went to hell, deciding to go back to college had been difficult but for its own unique reasons. Before the move he'd been restless for weeks. New environments and big changes just weren't his thing. He was a man that took challenges head on but when it came to change, he hesitated. Constants, black and white decisions, instances where the variables and outcomes were set are what Jack excelled at. Even the most devastating decision could be made if the outcomes were clear. Anything else and doubt plagued him. But this had been a decision for Strike, not him, so even with it being a situation out of his control it had been easier to think about her and what she needed rather than what he was scared of.

Though there were definitely personal benefits to that call. Jack discreetly looked at the half circle of men he'd been speaking to, saving Gabriel for last. He hadn’t laughed this much in months. And honestly, if Jack had known there were this many attractive dog owners out there, he'd probably have hopped on the bandwagon a long time ago. Just like when Strike gave her best puppy eyes, Jack was reminded that he was a weak man. A weak man with a trashy sense of humor this group seemed to share.

“See something you like, beautiful?” And shit, that wasn't fair. Gabriel had leaned in close, about half a foot between them. His voice was pitched low, trying to avoid Jesse's attention. Jack tracked his eyes over the other man again, remembered how strong he was.

He was allowed to have fun, right?

“Just admiring how you've managed to not get muddy, actually.” Jack tilted his head like he was actually considering it, but the mischievous smirk he got in return told him Gabriel saw right through him.

“Gabriel I swear to god if your next sentence has _anything_ to do with getting dirty I'm done with being your friend.” Genji abruptly cut in, his expression one of disgusted expectation.

“Just because I don't like you right now, I'm not going to validate that accusation.” Gabe sneered back, stepping partially away from Jack.

“So you were going to?” Jesse asked, far more amused than Genji over the prospect of it.

“You know what, I don't like you either.” And while Gabriel sounded put off, he smiled and started laughing with the others. But the laughter came at a price, his distraction his ruin as Bean quietly walked up before slapping her muddy paws onto Gabriel's hoodie and barking. The Rottweiler had her tail lazily wagging, ears perked up as she licked at Gabriel's face. For such a big dog, Jack was surprised she could walk up so quietly. Strike was usually hard to miss and Bean was a lot bigger than her.

Jack made direct eye contact with Genji then Jesse before he leaned back, eyes meeting Gabriel's. The surprise attack was an opening he couldn’t resist, and the trepidation the others felt at his look made keeping his expression neutral hard. He managed, face unreadable, but as he looked at Gabriel the man nodded slightly. The grim but determined acceptance from an unspoken understanding.

“I guess you're real dirty now, ain't ya?” Jack set him up, eye contact soberly determined.

“Oh sweetheart, I'll show you how dirty I am.” The unwavering poker face the two had delivering that didn't crack as Genji wailed, though Jack smirked as Jesse rolled his eyes and Hanzo started laughing. Gabriel put his focus onto Bean then, ruffling her floppy ears and bodily rough housing with her. Strike and the other dogs bounded up, attracted by the play and ganging up on Gabriel. Jack noticed Gabriel held his own much better than Genji had.

Not long after, Hanzo and Genji said their goodbyes before leaving with Sakura and Sparrow. It had been a few hours at that point and Jack would be lying if he said he wasn't tired. He called Strike over, petting her as the others leashed their dogs as well before clipping her own leash.

“Hey man, it's been fun. You planning on coming up again?” Jesse asked as they stood outside the gate. Gabe was still fiddling with Beans harness.

“Yeah, for sure. Thanks for introducing me to everyone.” Jack offered a smile, pleased when Jesse grinned back.

“Not a problem, if you want I can add you to the group chat, we tend to go out as a group to some local events, a lot of them are geared towards dogs too.” Jesse fished out his phone, clicking away as he spoke.

“That sounds great, actually. I appreciate it.” Jack got his phone out and unlocked it, handing it to Jesse when the other man reached for it.

“Just make sure you bring that pretty little lady with ya, I think Gunner has a crush.” Jesse winks, eyes glancing to where the mutt was curled up with Strike while they patiently waited. It was cute, it was so cute and Jack felt his heart flip. When Jesse handed him back his phone Jack took a picture and sent it to Angela, proof of his success. Back in college Angela had been the one to prompt him to get a dog, and Jack was fairly certain that push had saved him. So in a few ways, Strike was Angela’s baby too. The least he could do was send the veterinarian pictures.

“Alright well, I'm gonna get this ruffian home for a bath, I'll see ya around Jack.” Jesse waved and gave a small tug on Gunners leash before turning off, Jack was only a little envious when Gunner jumped directly into the trucks cab without any further instruction than the door opening. Last time Jack had tried to get Strike into a car it was a circus.

When Jack turned towards the way home he noticed Gabe finally getting out of the fence, Bean secured snuggly into her harness. Jack waved, starting home after Gabriel waved back. He noticed there weren't any other cars around, so Gabe must have also walked. There were a few apartment complex around, and a neighborhood, so it made sense. But Gabe turned in the same direction. Jack waited, letting Gabe catch up since after a few minutes he noticed they were still headed in the same direction.

“Gonna walk me home?” Gabriel cooed, batting his lashes as he caught up.

“After all that sweet talk earlier? Someone has to be the gentleman.” And Jack found it was easy to talk with Gabriel, even outside of the park. Easy to fall into step with the guy, easy to enjoy his laugh. The realization had his face feeling warm, and he looked down at Strike who was happily walking beside Bean. “Do you prefer a harness for any particular reason?”

“Yeah, demon pulls like she’s trying to drag you to hell otherwise. Harness keeps her calm.” Gabe turned a fond look to the rottweiler, no bite to his words.

“She seems well behaved.” And if jealousy tinged his voice he ignored it. “Strike likes to fight me for the leash and walk herself. I’m actually surprised she’s not trying to incite a rebellion with Bean to overthrow us.” The laugh that comment earned him had Jack smiling, carrying the conversation easily.

“When I first got Bean she was really bad, previous owners just used her as a guard dog and didn’t interact with her past throwing her food. Keeps the dogs from thinking people are friendly, making sure they never trust anyone coming up to the fence. So she wasn’t the easiest the to live with but we came to an understanding. Been a real sweetheart ever since.” Gabe spoke so fondly, it was obvious how much he loved the dog.

“Did she come from a rescue?” Jack asked politely, not trying to pry.

“Actually I just..sort of stole her. From the yard. She wasn’t getting as much of the food as the others, and seeing her waste away, I should have called animal control but I didn’t think about that until after. She bit me as I did it, but she’s been worth it. Had to get stitches and everything.” He laughed, rolling up his sleeve to show the bite marks. Jack was laughing too, imagining so easily how Gabriel would do that. He seemed like the type, damning the consequences to do what he felt was right.

“I actually got Strike because my friend ordered me to. Kind of an intervention after I got out of the military. Little girls been dragging me along ever since.” He didn’t notice the look Gabriel gave him, the sharpness of the other man's eyes. By the time Jack looked up Gabe was looking at Bean and Strike again.

“Well, this is my apartment.” Gabe said, stopping. Jack looked between Gabe and the building, smiling again.

“Yeah? Mine too.” And oh that was awkward. Gabe now looked between the two, shaking his head.

“Genji is going to have a field day.” He sighed, opening the door and giving Jack room to walk in. Jack did, heading up to the second floor while Gabe stayed on the first.

“See you around, Gabriel.”

“Yeah, watch out for 203 by the way, he’s a good guy but he moves quick and doesn’t always watch where he’s going.”

“I will. Thanks for the heads up.” When Jack got inside he sighed, long and heavy. That was...draining. Fun, but draining. And now he had to get Strike bathed and get both of them fed. The golden retriever bounced up, paws firm on his chest as she strained to lick his chin.

“Good girl, did you have fun?” Strike barked, plopping down onto all fours.

“I’m glad, cause it’s time for a _bath.”_ Her ears perked forward and she froze as she processed the word. It was a tense moment, both of them stock still before she bolted and he lunged forward.

Strike hated baths.

Later that night, Jack finally got to collapse onto the futon in the living room. The sun was setting, it’s light casting through the glass doors that led to his balcony and coloring the room orange. Strike curled up beside him, fur dry and smelling like apples. He’d already dressed down into sweatpants and a t-shirt; one with a hole in the hem his mother would never have allowed him to wear for anything other than sleeping. Some things just stuck with him, habit more than anything.

His phone pinging rapidly startled him, which in turn startled Strike. She looked up, eyes focused and ears pushed forward as she ruffed deeply. It was funny how protective she was when there was nothing to guard from. Comforting though to know she’d have his back. Jack loved that kind of loyalty, she really was a good dog. She calmed easily as he smoothed his hand down her back, talking gently to her about how it was ok and she was a good girl. When she’d set her head back down he turned to his phone.

 **[SaltCloud]** Genji if you’re going out at least pick up milk we are almost out

 **[SaltCloud]** Alright who changed my username again

 **[SaltCloud]** Genji if it was you remember I know where you live

 **[sparklebitch]** Brother I have no idea what you’re talking about

 **[SaltCloud]** _I know where you sleep fool_

**[sparklebitch changed SaltCloud’s name to Hanzo]**

**[Hanzo]** I swear to god

 **[dollypartongay]** lmao gen if you need to hide somewhere?

 **[Hanzo]** You act as though I do not have a spare key to your home, Jesse.

 **[dollypartongay]** …..genji run 

Jack took a moment, remembering when Jesse had mentioned the group chat earlier. He had a feeling the group had been close, and now seeing how familiar they all actually were he doubted if him being added was actually ok. He’d just met them, really. His phone letting off a flurry of rings had him looking back at the fast paced texts.

 **[sparklebitch]** He would not harm me, Sakura would miss me

 **[Hanzo]** Sakura and Sparrow would benefit, actually. Perhaps I should have considered this sooner.

 **[sparklebitch]** ┌П┐(►˛◄’!)

 **[TheEdgiest]** Could you fuckers **not** blow up my goddamn phone while my shows are on?!

 **[dollypartongay]** Wait it’s on? Has Henrico proposed yet???

 **[TheEdgiest]** Yes but not to Greg, he proposed to Hana instead

 **[dollypartongay]** _WHAT_

 **[dollypartongay]** also jack i can see you lurking, come on man

Well, so much for slipping quietly out of the app and never touching it again. Jack set up his username, not wanting to complicate it so going with something simple. From what he could tell it ran the risk of being changed eventually anyways.

 **[Morrison]** Why do you have to call everyone out

 **[dollypartongay]** there ya are

 **[dollypartongay]** and hey gen is the one who won’t let people live

 **[sparklebitch]** ExCUse ME

 **[sparklebitch]** I believe you mean my brother is the one who will not let others live in peace

 **[Hanzo]** That is because you are a menace

 **[TheEdgiest]** I’ll fucking show you jackasses a menace if you keep interrupting my damn show

Jack couldn’t help but laugh, trying to imagine Gabriel sitting in front of the tv with this chat going off. As it was, Jack had turned his phones volume down. Strike had started falling asleep and he didn’t want to disturb her.

 **[dollypartongay]** gabe stfu im coming over unlock your door

 **[TheEdgiest]** Whatever just shut up already

Jack felt that was a good time to set his phone down, muting the group chat as he stood up. Despite being asleep, Strike woke up instantly and hopped down to look at him curiously. Jack reached down and pet her, appreciating her again as she licked his hands.

“Come on girl, bed time.” He groaned, stretching a stiff muscle in his side. After hearing that she went right to his room, hopping up into the bed before him. As he got settled, he thought about his new friends. They were a lot of energy, and for some reason had readily accepted him into their group. He couldn’t help but wonder what Gabriel’s deal was, with all the flirting. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed it. Jack stilled, frowning slightly as he thought about it. It had actually been rather nice. It could have simply been that it had been a long time since he’d really invested in anything. And maybe that scared him a bit, falling into this so quickly, but Jack wasn’t sure. He was sure, however, that he didn’t want to mess anything up. Not with his new friends, he didn’t really have a lot of those. Jack’s phone going off pulled him from his thoughts, and he grabbed it quickly, fingers fumbling a bit on the screen. Angela didn’t usually text him this late, what if it was -- oh. He sighed, relaxing back against his pillows.

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** Jack don’t forget you have that meeting with Dr. Amari tomorrow, and thanks for the picture of Strike earlier. Mercy misses her sister, I may have to actually consider moving there just so she will cheer up again.

 **[jacked]** Thanks for reminding me Angela. And hey Mercy would love it, I met a group of guys at the park and their dogs are all really friendly. Strike had a blast.

 **[jacked]** And don’t lie, you just want to move here for that job. I remember you looking at it, the animal hospital is pretty prestigious right?

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** Jack you have NO idea, it’s so good. But I am not qualified for it yet, maybe in a few years with more experience.

 **[jacked]** Ang, you’re always telling me I won’t ever get where I want to be if I don’t get up and start walking first.

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** You? Throwing my depression inspiration speech back at me? I never thought I would see the day. You have a point...I will consider it, ok?

 **[jacked]** Good, you’re a brilliant vet Ang, they’d be lucky to have you. But I need to sleep now, unless you want me sleeping past my alarm for Dr. Amari?

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** Jack Morrison if you miss that appointment I am going to personally kick your ass

 **[jacked]** Wouldn’t dream of it, night

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** Rest well, Jack.

 **[benevolentpatronsaint]** And thankyou, sometimes I forget how far you’ve come since I first met you. I’m proud of you.

Jack ignored how those few words choked him up, setting his phone down and curling around Strike as she whimpered at him. Strike was always good at feeling out his moods, an exceptional emotional support animal really. He could never thank Angela enough, knowing she’d put up with a lot from him when she didn’t have to. She’d gotten him past the worst place he’d ever been, after the crash that had him out of the military quicker than he could say _“I’m fine.”_ Which, really, had been for the best. He _hadn’t_ been fine, and it took three years for him to get to where he was now and even then he still wasn’t who he used to be.

Dr. Amari could help though, hopefully. She’d helped others through worse, and she was willing to try with him. Jack pet through Strike’s fur, falling asleep with that to calm him.

* * *

 


	2. Romp n Roll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Promise I didn't forget about this or anything! It's just...really long... so it was super daunting to write lol
> 
> But here it is!  
> I also wantd to mention that quite a few people assissted in beta'ing this and it wouldn't have been half as awesome without them! Super big thanks to Libby because xe are amazing

_“Ay, Morrison! How’s about a race?” Johnson was visible between the clouds ahead of Jack, and Jack laughed at the old joke._

_“You wanna risk another reprimand?” He kept his plane steady, even as Johnson laughed through the comms. The laugh was familiar, making any kind of serious situation easier to deal with. Jack couldn’t shake a bad feeling though, something was wrong. He knew something bad was going to happen._

_No. Something bad had already happened._

_“Johnson wai--” The words never left his lips. The sky was fire and smoke. A burst of screamed profanities then static over the comms. Johnson’s plane spiralling down, smoke and fire and gunfire.. Jack jerked at the controls with hands that were moving too slow. He had to get his plane away. The other pilots in their unit were speaking, yelling. It was white noise. Someone was radioing base. He needed to get away. But his eyes were wide, his heart in his throat and his mouth tasting like copper as he watched Johnson’s plane plummeting. Johnson would eject at any moment, he had to. Second by agonizing second, he kept his eyes on the falling plane, searching desperately for the sight of his best friend ejecting. The moment dragged on as he circled back. Johnson had to eject._

_Jack knew he never would._

_“Morrison! They’re calling --” A spray of bullets caught Jack’s left wing. His plane spun in a chaotic wheel that had Jack losing track of which was up or down. He couldn't hold back from screaming as more gunfire struck his plane, his yelling lost to the wind as the glass of his cockpit shattered. His hands scrabbled for his eject, his vision blurred and red, so much red and he had to get out he had to--_

 

Barking, loud and insistent, a wet nose pressing against his cheek. Jack jerked out of the dream, chest heaving as he gasped for air and clutched his shirt in a white knuckled grip. Slowly, Strike wedged her face between his arm and chest, her tail thumping on the bed as she licked at him. He was here. Alive. The knowledge didn’t calm him, the panic keeping it distant. Strike whined, a small quiet whuff of a woof bringing him back a bit. He held her closer, tucking his chin to press against her fur. She still smelled like green apples.

“You’re -- ” Jack coughed, voice hoarse and gritty. “You’re my dog,” Jack started the process slow, counting the time of Strikes even breathing as he talked. “I got you two years ago because my friend Angela said if I didn’t I would be dead in three months. That crash happened three years ago. I survived. Andres Johnson -” Panic built in his chest and he took some deep breaths, focusing on how soft Strike’s fur was and how calm she was being. “Andres Johnson did not. I survived and went back to college. I met Angela. I got you. We’re here now.” He kept his face in her fur, waiting for his heartbeat to calm down, occasionally going over his small list again. Talking to her always helped, she would stay still for him until he settled down. On the really bad nights, she licked his face until he could talk. Jack wished he could thank her more.

“Easy girl, I'm ok.” Out of all possible nightmares, it just had to be that one, didn’t it. He ran a shaky hand over Strike’s back, calming them both as he looked over to the clock. Five am. Well, that wasn’t as bad as it could have been, Jack supposed. He had a whole hour before his alarm went off for the appointment, which meant he had two hours until the appointment itself. He had time to allow for a shower and traffic. Jack sighed heavily, looking at his hands and watching them shake. That dream, that _memory,_ always left him a mess. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep again, but he couldn't just sit here and do nothing between now and when he needed to get ready to leave.

Heaving himself up from his bed, he groaned a weak “Wanna go for a run?” in Strike’s direction. He stood by the bed, watching as she processed his words. It never failed to make him smile when she got it, her tail flying as she barked and bolted for the door. He didn't have the heart to shush her.

Jack grabbed some socks and his shoes, not bothering with changing into proper exercising gear. He remembered it was still spring and opted to grab an old hoodie that absolutely didn't qualify as _running gear._ But really, who was to judge what counted as exercise gear? What even was exercise gear but overpriced, fancy sweatpants and t-shirts? Besides, it was _five in the morning,_ no one awake to judge him. Strike broke him out of his thoughts, jumping around and making little excited _ruff_ ’s. He laughed, rubbing her head as he grinned at her. “C’mon girl, let’s go.”

The morning was bitingly cold, air sharp and burning in his lungs. But it had the intended effect, he was definitely more present. Bringing Strike had been the right call, having her kept him from running too hard with the air like this. Jack even turned back sooner than he would have if he was on his own. It was for the best, he couldn't outrun those nightmares and he knew it. Usually, without Strike, he still tried and that could get dangerous. He had always been awfully adept at ignoring his own limits, though he had to admit that he was better about it now. He suppressed a shudder as he steered his thoughts away from the early-morning runs he took before he got Strike. That had been a dark time he preferred not to revisit.

The apartment came back into sight far too quickly, but when Jack pulled out his phone to check the time, he only had about half an hour to spare before he needed to leave for the doctors. Head lowered as he sorted his keys, he slammed directly into a wall of muscle. He staggered back and jerked his head up, indignant comment already rising to his tongue-- Oh. It was Gabriel. Gabriel, who had been turning around from the mailboxes next to the door. Gabriel, who had a steadying hand on Jack’s shoulder, who was entirely too close, who looked _way too good_ for six in the morning.  Jack felt his face heat and he stifled a groan of frustration. It should have been illegal to look as good as Gabriel did. Especially with that warm, amused tilt to his smile. Jack wished he was less aware of how close they were.

“Jesus. Somebody needs to put a bell on you." Jack said as he rubbed his chest where he'd directly collided into Gabriel, gaze darting away from the other man’s smile as he willed his face to cool down. Strike was sitting by his feet, her tail wagging, and Jack focused on her as Gabriel let go of his arm. Even with his hoodie the feeling of touch lingered, warm and firm. He remembered, again, what it felt like to have had those hands keep him from falling the other day at the dog park. Jack wondered if he'd ever get over how strong the guy was, but he doubted it. He knew he had a weakness for that.

“Not my fault you don't pay attention.” And really, Gabriel was too amused for this early in the morning, at least in Jack's opinion. He finally met Gabriel’s eyes, and immediately wished he hadn't. They weren’t _close,_ exactly, but there wasn’t enough space between them for the intensity of Gabriel’s focus. It was like seeing a storm on the horizon, clouds dark and heavy and promising danger. Jack wondered if that was just the kind of person Gabriel was. He’d picked up a bit of that intensity at the park, but now that they were alone it was so obviously _there._ Jack remembered the wild wolves he’d seen on a camping trip years ago, how the accidental eye contact he’d made with one had pinned him to the spot, only releasing him when it looked away. Gabriel was like that, Jack realized. He was torn between that pinned feeling and wanting to step back, and then Gabriel looked down to Strike. Being released, Jack felt his heart beating faster,  just as it had with the wolf. His head swam a bit, and he almost wished he still had Gabriel holding onto him, had that firm hold to ground himself. He shook his head slightly. God, it was turning out to be quite the morning, wasn’t it.

While Jack had taken a moment to be star-struck, Gabriel had dropped down into a crouch, holding out a hand for Strike to sniff. “Hey, pretty girl. You’re a lot cleaner than Bean is right about now.” Strike barked, as if in response, jumping up when Gabriel started petting her, almost knocking the man over. Gabriel laughed, and Jack shook his head to clear it. The abrupt change in atmosphere had Jack playing catch up, and he put his thoughts about Gabriel to the side where they couldn’t nag for his attention. Jack didn’t have time for them. Later, he would deal with them later.

“She’ll probably get muddy again later, but we’ll see. I gotta go though, see you around?” Jack’s voice came out gruff but strong, and he did a mental victory dance. Gabriel gave Strike one more pat before standing to step out of the way, and Jack was relieved his exit wasn’t as awkward as he felt it’d been.

“Yeah, I think Hanzo was talking about renting an agility field for the dogs today. I’ll message you about it later?”

Jack was almost through the door, tossing a far-too-quick “Sure!” over his shoulder before slipping inside and hustling up the stairs. He stopped at the first landing he came to to lean against a wall and scream softly into his hands, blushing hard enough for his face to hurt. The jarring sound of a bubble-gum bubble popping brought him back to reality. When he lowered his hands, there was another person in the stairwell with him, a young woman who was looking at him like he’d lost his mind. He offered her a weak, mortified smile, and after she left he muffled another scream, for an entirely different reason.

After a quick shower and making sure Strike ate, Jack found himself double checking the address for the hundredth time since Angela sent it to him. He took a deep breath, quashing the anxieties twisting in his gut. Jack had decided to do this months ago, and he sure as hell wasn’t backing out now. He didn’t believe in miracles, but if the reviews were to be believed, this woman knew how to make them happen. With a sigh Jack ruffled Strike’s ears. The click of his keys locking the door felt like a death knell, and Jack shook his head again, wishing Strike was with him so he could bury a hand in her fur. Going to see Dr. Amari was a car trip, being too far to walk to reasonably, which meant going down to the garage. Which meant even more stairs. The scar on his calf twinged vindictively.

 

Traffic wasn’t awful, for once. He got there in decent time, fifteen minutes early. There were only two other people in the waiting room, and they both seemed just as eager to avoid small talk as he was. Check-in went as smoothly as those types of interactions could ever go, and he held back a sigh of relief as he found a seat next to the aquarium. To his admittedly untrained eye, the tank looked to be at least a hundred gallons. Then again, Jack didn’t know the first thing about fish keeping. Still, the water was clear, and the fish that were in it were brightly colored and seemed to have a lot of room. He noticed a few that were sticking close to an artificial rock formation, while another was fluttering around at the edges of what looked like a hollow log. Watching them was oddly hypnotic, and he didn't notice other people filing into the waiting room or the idle sounds of everything around him. The humming and splashing of the tank was a loud background that seemed to drown out everything else.

“Do you find them calming?” Jack tensed instinctively at the sudden voice, and he looked up to see a rather thin, lanky man, was now standing in front of the tank. There was a decent amount of space between them, but the abrupt appearance still startled him. Maybe he had zoned out a bit too much.

“Not really, but they’re a good distraction.” Jack took a moment to purposefully relax his muscles again, but they refused to cooperate. Being here was enough to ramp up his stress to unbelievable levels, the sound of the receptionist across the room and the few people shuffling around him came flooding in now that he wasn’t focused on the tank. He tried not to shift too obviously, but after being spooked it was hard to settle again. Over the past few years he’d gotten good at tuning things out, but this place, this scenario was frying his nerves. _Focus, Morrison,_ he reminded himself, _you’re here for a reason._ He looked at the man again, deciding to focus on him now that they were speaking. It was shocking that Jack hadn’t noticed him before, he stood out. His bald head shone under the fluorescent lights as if oiled, and his soft smile was almost as blinding. He wore loosely draped robes in a muted orange and brown, and the man practically radiated calmness. His expression was welcoming but withdrawn, not overbearing as he watched Jack. While Jack focused, the background noise receded until he could think again. He was still tensed and ready to react, but it was easier to be friendly.

“You are Mr. Morrison, correct?” Jack nodded tersely, and the man’s soft smile widened. “Dr. Amari sent me. If you’ll follow me, she will see you.” He stepped back and Jack stood stiffly, glancing about to see if anyone was staring at him. It soothed his nerves a little when no-one looked beyond the cursory glance. Jack reminded himself no one was staring at him, no one cared about a stranger leaving the room. Everyone was here for the same reason, to get help. They weren’t here to judge him. The room was beginning to get loud again as the door to the hall shut behind him, and Jack heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing a rough hand across the scars on his face. The man in the robes graciously didn’t comment, just stood patiently as Jack gathered himself. Soon enough, they were in front of a dark wooden door, adorned with a bright, shining nameplate reading _Dr. Ana Amari_. Jack glanced at the robed man and cautiously knocked. A woman's voice, stern without being harsh, beckoned him in.

“This is where I leave you.” The man bowed and Jack hastily returned it with an awkward dip of his head, his arm half raising for a salute before he reminded himself that, despite the stress he felt, this wasn't the military. He stared at the door and swallowed, closed his eyes, brought his posture closer to parade rest to steel his nerves again before entering Dr. Amari’s office.

As it turned out, Dr. Amari wasn't as scary as he had feared. With that being said, the woman was _absolutely terrifying._ Jack had been put in mind of boot camp, and sat stiffly when she gestured towards the armchair in front of her desk. That's about when the jokes started rolling in, tucked neatly into Dr. Amari’s wry humor. Jack, at first, had taken it seriously and gotten worried before she started snickering at her own joke. It oddly set him at ease, and he was able to relax before real anxiety set in. From there, the session had gone off without a hitch. She left it mostly up to him, taking notes and occasionally asking him a question.

When she did interject, she kept it light, asking after what he had done since the crash. She didn’t bring up the incident itself at all. The longer she asked after his life post-crash, the tension began to flow back into him. She wasn't actively probing but something about her wording had Jack feeling pressure seeping in.

After answering too many questions about his daily life, his physical therapy, and too much other mundane shit, Jack snapped, interrupting the therapist mid-sentence. “So, Dr. Amari. Forgive me, but I thought the point of this whole thing was to talk about the thing that fucked me up, not about _what time I get up in the morning._ ” Jack regretted it as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Dr. Amari paused, and the room grew stiflingly, forebodingly silent. The soft _click_ of the clipboard being placed on the desk seemed to echo through the room, and Dr. Amari folded her hands in front of her, her gaze going as sharp as the lines of the tattoo under the eye not covered by the patch. As she studied Jack, that eye softened. “Would you prefer that, Mr. Morrison?”

Jack bit at the inside of his cheek. Truthfully, he wouldn’t. But that wasn’t the point of therapy, was it? It was supposed to be about talking about things you didn’t want to. Directly after the crash so many people had pushed and pried for him to talk about it, he’d expected Dr. Amari to be the same. Yet despite his outburst she was leaving it up to him. The control over the situation threw him for a loop, and he tried to ground himself again.

“Mr. Morrison, you've come far on your own. I want to make sure I haven't missed anything and your daily life tells a significant amount. How you feel day to day and why you feel the way you do is important. My job is to understand that and help you to as well.” Her voice was soothing, melodic in a way Jack didn't think voices could be. He blinked a few times before catching up to her words.

“Right, sorry. It's just that I wasn't expecting...” He trailed off, but her look was forgiving and he let himself move on. “The day to day, it wasn't easy at first. My friend got me a dog, that's what helped. Well, Angela helped too. I don't think I would be here if it weren't for her.”  His voice gentled as he spoke, like it usually did when he spoke of how Angela helped him.

“She is your emergency contact, correct?” Dr. Amari had picked up her clipboard again, turning a few pages.

“Yes, she, uh, also did the research to find this place.” Dr. Amari nodded and Jack looked down at his hands. Talking about Angela always inspired an odd sense of sadness and comfort. “Ang really found me at my lowest. It was just, it was difficult. Johnson was my best friend, had been since elementary, and because we were goofing off he died. I couldn't just snap back from it.” The words surprised him, as did the lack of his own negative reaction. It felt…freeing, almost, to finally say it, to finally acknowledge how thinking about him still twisted his gut. Maybe it was trite to even think it, but it was like it was finally safe to say out loud.

“No one rightfully could have expected you to, Mr. Morrison. Now, what did Angela do for you?” Jack could see her picking her pen up again in his periphery, and he shut his eyes as he started talking again.

“Well, she started by being my friend, helping me study for my classes. She's training to be a veterinarian, and she’s actually the one who told me about emotional support animals. I…didn’t react well.” Jack ran a hand across the back of his neck, grinning ruefully. “Actually, that’s a hell of an understatement. I was pissed. Snapped at her, said I didn’t need some dumb animal to make me feel better. She didn’t talk to me for a week, and it would have been longer if I hadn’t swallowed my pride and apologized. Angela managed to get me to admit that I actually really wanted a pet, whether it was an _emotional support animal_ or not. She dropped the whole thing after that, and I honestly thought that was the end of it. But a few months after that, she asked me to go with her to pick up a puppy she had bought. I didn't know she had bought one for me, too.” Jack smiled at the memory. He was supposed to be Angela's ride, but after arriving Jack was swarmed by the last two puppies from the farms litter. He hadn't felt that happy in a while, _light,_ as though the weight crushing him vanished. Just from having the puppies so close and playing with them. Angela had taken her puppy, _Mercy_ , and told Jack the other puppy was his. “She was crying when she told me. She said she had never seen me smile until I met that puppy. I'd known her for an entire year at that point. Still not sure why she stuck around.”

“She seems like an excellent friend to have. I take it your dog has aided in your recovery?” The faint scratching of pen on paper accompanied Dr. Amari’s words. She had been taking notes almost constantly since the session began. He was kind of curious about them, but honestly, Jack wasn’t sure he would understand what they meant. From what he had seen the few times she had lowered her pad, it was either written in excessively loopy cursive or in Arabic.

“Yeah, Strike needed a lot of attention, and was weirdly perceptive about my moods? Or, at least she seemed to be. It was hard to fall too deep when I had a puppy to take care of. She's been to classes for it now, has her official certification, but she was helping me even before she was taught how.”

“Well, Mr. Morrison, I have to say you've come a long way in such a short time. I would like to pair you with a student of mine. While he is very young, he is a brilliant man with a natural gift for working with individuals such as yourself. He and I use very different techniques, and I think the two of you would work well together.” Jack wasn't sure what to say, but he wasn't opposed to the idea. He had read that she sometimes does this, and each person's review stated it had been an excellent call. “I believe you've already met him, Zenyatta escorted you in, correct?”

“The man in the robes?” Jack frowned, he and Dr. Amari had been speaking together for some time and it was more difficult than he expected to think back to the handful of moments before he walked into the office. It felt like he’d been in this office for days instead of a few hours.

“Yes, he prefers traditional clothes. Are you okay with this?” And again there was challenge in the set of her posture, though it wasn't combative. It was as if she was daring him to lie to her.

“Yes, ma'am.” He felt a little cowed, but his answer was honest. The man, Zenyatta, had been rather pleasant to be around. The tranquility that seemed to follow him around had definitely eased Jack's anxiety. He honestly wouldn't mind being around that more often.

“Excellent. I'll schedule an appointment with him for you,” Dr. Amari looked from Jack to her calendar, “The Wednesday after next, does this work for you? Wednesday the seventeenth?” At Jack's affirmative she penned it in, then turned to offer Jack her hand. He stood, offering a firm handshake before she led him out.

“I have to say, Jack, your case is rather unique. I've seen people come from less who struggle much more than you have. I'm a bit worried you're hiding things from me.” Her tone suggested she was joking, but her eyes were sharp. Jack shook his head.

“I don't think I could get much past you, ma'am.” He offered a smile as they neared the end of the hall.

“Call me Ana, please. You make me feel old with all these _ma'am_ comments.” They shared a surprisingly genuine laugh as Jack left. The waiting room was much emptier than it had been when he'd gone back to the meeting, and Jack offered a nod to the secretary before making his way out.

 

When Jack got home, he managed to kick his shoes off before flopping gracelessly across the futon in the living room. He felt drained and sore, but surprisingly not empty. He needed to text Ang -- the rapid-fire skittering of claws on linoleum and the jingle of Strike’s collar jolted him out of his thoughts, and Jack resigned himself to his fate. He didn’t have enough energy to roll over, much less get out of the way of the incoming dog bomb. “3...2...1 -- _oof_.” Strike launched herself onto him, a flurry of excited paws and whines as she tried to burrow under him from above, and Jack laughed openly.

“Easy, puppy girl, easy.” His voice was raw, but the joyous tongue-bath all his exposed skin was receiving managed to somehow make it hurt less. He wiggled under her, managing to free himself enough to roll over onto his side. Strike immediately took advantage of the space, squirming and wiggling until she was sprawled out beside him with her sides gently heaving and her tongue lolling out. He wiped his face with his arm, chuckling softly. “You are the weirdest dog there is, aren’t you?” She had no answer except for a soft whine as she pawed at him, doggy grin wide. The wet licks Strike showered him in whenever he got home were _worth it,_ he could never really bring himself to be upset about all that drool. He ruffled her face before petting down her sides, resting his head on his arm as she settled down. She was such a calm girl sometimes, such a warm and gentle creature. Really, he wished he could take her everywhere. He’d never be anxious again, being able to pet her whenever…

Strike’s deep guard bark had Jack falling onto the floor as he struggled to get up. His arm was entirely asleep, pins and needles lancing through it as he panicked and tried to get his bearings. The living room was bright with enough sunlight that it had to be around noon. He must have fallen asleep. Strike continued her deepened bark as he looked around, trying to find the source. His heart was hammering, his breath short and getting shorter, and Jack nearly jumped out of his skin as three loud booms resounded through his very bones. The living room was beginning to fade at the corners when Strike licked his hand, knocking him back into the present. The booms sounded again, and as Jack gripped Strike’s collar to ground himself, he realized that she was pulling him towards the door. Well, that made sense.

“Easy, girl.” Jack scratched behind her ears, relaxing slightly as she licked his hand again and stopped barking. Then he addressed the problem of the door and whoever was standing on the other side of it. He peeked through the peephole, but startled back as the person on the other side knocked again, nearly falling on his ass. Strike started barking, louder than before. 

“Jack! Come on!” Gabriel's voice was loud through the door, and Jack’s heart started up again for reasons other than anxiety. Although Gabriel’s voice was more than pleasant to listen to, Jack couldn’t think of a single earthly reason for the man to be at his door.

“Gabriel?” Jack opened the door, keeping a leg behind him to block Strike. He was more confused than anything, the adrenaline slowly seeping out of his system and his head playing catch up from his abrupt awakening.

“What, were you asleep?” Gabriel didn't seem angry but he shook his head after looking Jack over because yes, he had obviously been asleep. Bed head and all. Gabriel held his phone up and Jack pulled his own out of his pocket.

“Oh.” Jack said sheepishly. He never unmuted the chat. The memory of making plans to go out with the group hit him like a blow, and he covered his face with a hand and groaned before looking down at his slept-in, dog-hair-covered clothes. “Right, well. I'll just be a minute if you want to step in?” His homegrown hospitality reared up, which was -- silly, it was silly because Gabriel lived downstairs, he could just meet him out in the hall in a few minutes. Nonetheless he stepped back so Gabriel had room to walk in if he wanted to.

“Sure. I can throw some stuff together for Strike if you have a bag?” Gabriel was already walking forward to step in though, and Strike played welcoming committee like the good girl she was. It was always a relief to Jack, knowing Strike would be a good host even if he failed.

“Yeah, all her stuff is in that last cabinet there, the long one.” He was a little thrown off, watching Gabriel move through the apartment towards the kitchen as if he had done it thousands of times before. Shaking his head, he headed towards his room just past the kitchen and slipped in, laughing a bit as he could hear Strike begging for a treat.

Honestly, Jack figured this called for clothes that passed as athletic. Joggers were casual though too, right? It was an _agility_ course but it was for the dogs. He didn't really know the requirements, were there any? No, but then again if Hanzo had to rent it then maybe? He tried to remember what Gabriel was wearing but really he hadn't been paying that much attention to what the guy was wearing because his face was _right there_. God, Jack had a problem. He sighed and decided on a plain navy t-shirt and his black joggers that may or may not have been a smidge too tight. He kind of hoped Genji wouldn't notice, he wasn’t prepared to be called out like that.

“Princess get the good treats for training?” Gabriel's voice nearly had him jumping out of his skin again, and Jack forced himself to relax. Getting this keyed up over an outing with friends was too much.

“Yeah, the bacon scented ones.” He called back. Running shoes and a track jacket finished his outfit and he didn't let himself look in the mirror. No time for it. Still, he was running his hand through his hair as he walked into the kitchen to see that Gabriel had packed his backpack with a few toys, most notably three soft frisbees, as well as treats and baggies. Jack couldn't help but feel relieved, he would have over thought that worse than his clothes.

As he filled his water bottle, he almost missed how Gabriel's eyes tracked over him. Almost. It was a slow move, but not too obvious. Jack felt a thrill of warmth go through his chest. This, whatever it was, definitely felt nice. He smiled a bit, giving Gabriel a knowing look that had Gabriel smirking right back. Jack was more than a little happy that he was getting accustomed to how that smirk looked on Gabriel’s lips, and he had to shake away thoughts of maybe getting to know how some _other_ things looked on Gabriel’s lips. And Gabriel was obviously pleased with being caught. Jack almost wanted to say something, kind of wanted to really acknowledge whatever this was because it was starting to definitely feel like _something,_ even if it wasn't something big really. Jack couldn't really deny he liked the guy already, but he wasn't sure if he was really ready to jump into whatever this was and --

Gabriel's phone started screeching, some heavy bass Jack almost recognized before Gabriel answered.

“Genji, stop. We'll be there, five, ten minutes max. Sleeping Beauty was just taking a power nap.” Jack threw a dishrag at him that Gabriel still managed to avoid before he winked playfully back. “Yeah, will do, see you soon.” Gabriel was laughing as he hung up, and Jack immediately didn't trust him.

“Sleeping Beauty, huh? I take it that was about me?” He leaned his hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. His distrust only amped up as Gabriel smiled again, slow and mischievous.

“There's a joke sitting there, and I'm not going to make it. Remember that.” Gabriel pointed at Jack to emphasize his point before tossing the backpack over. Jack caught it one handed, secretly relieved that it was a smooth catch. He turned to find Strike’s leash as Gabriel continued talking. “And actually, yes, it was. Genji said to get you and Strike out there, and I quote, ‘Even if you have to tie him up and drag him’.”

“That,” Jack started as he stood up from securing Strikes leash, “would be incredibly illegal. I'll go without the ropes, thank you .”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jack felt his face heat as Gabriel _smirked_ at him again. “Either way, I’ve been tasked with getting you to the place. Ready?”

“Do I have a choice in this?” He was only partially joking, because it was definitely more convenient to get a ride with Gabriel, and he did feel like the tying up comment was made in good nature. He wouldn’t really mind either, and Jack wasn’t sure if he meant the ride or being tied up.

“Of course.” And there went Gabriel again, pulling the rug out from under Jack. He answered seriously, all joking aside. “Though, you should decide quickly, Genji was pretty impatient. I think he’s pining for some more friends. He may have threatened me, scared I’ll frighten you away.” And there was that certain look in his eyes again, a little heat and a little _something_ that had Jack humming a deep note thoughtfully. Jack had experience with that _something_ that was almost tangible between them, mostly from a few flings in college. More from one of his air force buddies. But it had never been quite this tempting, really. Something about Gabriel just drew him in. And from the looks he kept catching, Gabriel seemed just as drawn to him.

“Well, let’s go get Bean then.” He gestured for Gabriel to lead the way and followed him out, running a quick keys/wallet/phone check before he locked the door behind him. Gabriel apparently already had his stuff together, when Jack half-jogged to catch up with Gabriel the man was leaning into the doorway and slinging a backpack over his shoulders before bending further to grab something -- leashes? -- off the floor. And yeah, okay, Jack could appreciate that. Gabriel had a _curve_ Jack hadn’t noticed before. Jack just barely stopped himself from making a comment about working out because okay, _no._ Checking each other out was one thing, veiled flirting and mild bondage jokes were one thing, but a comment like that Jack wasn’t sure he’d ever be comfortable making. Saying anything like ‘ _hey, nice ass’_ out of the blue had never been Jack’s cup of tea, and it would definitely push this _something_ out of the unspoken, and _what if Gabriel was just joking --_

“See something you like?” The words rang a bell as Gabriel said them, and Jack realized he’d been caught staring. Gabriel was smiling, though, didn’t seem mad at all. Jack laughed to try and ease the awkwardness choking him, with a little success. He had a feeling that kind of talk was right up Gabriel’s alley, and Jack didn't think he’d mind. The man had a smoothness about this kind of stuff Jack envied.

“Sorry,” He brushed it off and Gabriel just shrugged with a smile, none the wiser to Jack’s internal argument and screaming. Then again, maybe he was more perceptive than Jack had credited him for.

“Break you out of that shell yet, yeah?” Jack fought down yet _another_ blush, but then Jack caught sight of not one but _two_ leashes and both were definitely not connected to Bean.

“Oh my god.” Jack kneeled slowly, gently telling Strike to sit as he reached out carefully to the French Bulldog he hadn’t seen before. Their black coat was immaculate and when they let Jack ruffle their ears Jack made a slightly strangled sound because it was so soft, and he felt like he was going to combust as they licked his fingers.

“Her name is Nevermore.” Gabriel’s voice sounded different than Jack was used to and when he looked up the man’s eyes were softer than he’d seen before. It felt different from the other looks they usually shared, and it set Jack’s stomach rolling in a good imitation of Strike when she was blissed out from a belly rub.

“How old is she?” He continued to pet Nevermore gently behind her ears, smiling as Strike edged over and sniffed at the smaller dog.

“Five, she was a gift from a friend, just like Strike was for you.” Jack stood, and the two shared an understanding look. It wasn’t that Bean wasn’t special, but the circumstance was different. Jack understood. Nevermore had saved Gabriel, just like Strike had saved him. Gabriel had saved Bean. Jack could tell Gabriel loved both the dogs, it was written all over every interaction he had with them and into Bean’s now immaculately-groomed, completely mud-free coat.

“Alright get that look off your face. We need to go before Nev has to save us from Genji.” Jack laughed and followed Gabriel out, not surprised when Gabriel led him to a jet black monster of a jeep. Jack had seen it in the parking lot often while he was coming and going from the complex, and every time he’d thought the owner had to have some kind of complex. It was just one of those kinds of vehicles that spoke of the drivers character. Now he matched it with Gabriel, a man he had only ever seen dressed in complementing greys, blacks, and reds. Who had a rottweiler and a dog named Nevermore. Honestly he wished he wasn’t right. But it all added up. Idly Jack wondered if Gabriel had any tattoos or piercings to complete the aesthetic. It would fit.

“Of course this is yours. Of course.” He watched as Bean leapt up into the back and circled in the kennel secured back there. Nevermore was lifted into her own, Gabriel scruffing her ears gently before he latched both doors. A look given over Gabriels shoulder told Jack the other man wasn't about to grace that with a comment.

“I don’t have another kennel, but it’s just down the road. She’ll stay in the backseat?” Gabriel had opened the door, but Strike was eyeing it just as warily as Jack was.

“She will, but getting her into it may not be...easy.” He’d never figured out her issue with car rides, it wasn’t like she hadn’t had plenty of good experiences. Hell he usually _walked_ her to the vet. And her aversion had developed well before their big move, maybe he’d just neglected to take her for drives as a puppy. Maybe Angela would have some advice on it but that didn’t really help him now.

“Proper motivation, Jackie.” And before Jack could really respond to that Gabriel pulled out a nice chunk of dried meat from his backpack. Instantly he had Strikes attention, the golden retriever going from wary to hyper fixated on Gabriel’s hand in a blink. “There you are, she know any commands that would help here?” As it was, Strike had sat down, and as she had to wait she even pulled her front paws up to sit pretty and beg. Without missing a beat Jack slipped out his phone and snapped a picture, it was like a second nature at this point to be immediately prepared to respond to her cute moments. Actually that had developed in about a month of having her. He thought about Gabriel’s question though and came up short.

“Tell her to go in, it works for her kennel.” It was all Jack could think of.

“Alright. Strike!” Gabriel stood upright and Strike held in a bark, her tail swiping along the ground, “In!” He stepped to the side and put his hand inside the jeep, Strike whined and danced her paws and barked again, “In.” Gabriel was firm and Strike leapt up into the car. Immediately Gabriel rewarded her with the meat before shutting the door.

“Ok. _How._ ” Jack was just, stunned. He hadn’t tried meat but he had bought great treats and she had still fought him. He remembered at one point he had walked away from trying to get her in the car with a bruise on his chest that had Angela asking who she needed to file a police report on.

“People food. Dogs want it more, and don’t usually get it. High reward. Now, do I need to find a treat for you to get you in the car or?” Gabriel was absolutely serious as he asked and Jack tilted his head, He played up looking Gabriel over as though he was considering what it would take. He hummed, before he couldn’t help but laugh a bit before he climbed in.

“Not this time, I value my life and would rather not have Genji on my ass for holding us up.” Gabriel hauled himself into the drivers side as Jack clipped his seat belt. Jack would have sworn he heard Gabriel mutter something about _‘on an ass alright’_ but he didn’t really catch it. Feeling Gabriel’s car start up was new, Jack’s own vehicle wasn’t quite this powerful so the revving going up through his bones had Jack’s heart spiking instantly. He figured he looked nervous because Gabriel was outright laughing at this point, his laughter only getting more free as Jack glared at him. It wasn’t like Jack was actually upset, but it was fun to go back and forth like this.

“Is that _system of a down_ ?” The judgement was practically dripping from Jack as what was definitely the intro to _Chop Suey_ slammed out of the speakers around them. Gabriel levelled him with a deadpan and Jack just started laughing because of course, Gabriel would like System of a Down and of course that’s what would be playing for his driving. They were pulling onto the road and Jack was failing at shaking off his amusement.

“You could always walk.” Gabriel sneered, though he was clearly amused. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Gabriel was just playing at being mad or not, Jack had a feeling his humor was a sharp and mean thing, but that seemed to be the trend with the group. Though it all seemed light hearted. Jack was just too accustomed to Angelas brand of humor.

“I probably could, but then you would have to explain to Genji why I’m not there _._ ” Jack laughed as Gabriel just turned the volume up with a smug look as the song changed. The intro to Lonely Day had Jack shaking his head, another jab ready to fly before he thought better of it. Knowing how the group played around Jack figured Gabriel was accustomed to being dragged for everything, and while Jack had fun joining in on the groups antics it was just them right now. Besides, Jack wasn’t really that concerned, because he liked the band too. In fact, he knew this song. By heart.

Counting the time of the beat, he glanced at Gabriel before looking out the window. Gabriel had opened up a bit, had even woken him up to make sure he didn’t miss the trip. Not to mention Gabriel had that look on his face that said he was just waiting for more shit, so instead Jack sighed. He checked his time against the song before looking out the window, heart starting to pound before he entered the song just as the lyrics opened. He kept time, refusing to look at Gabriel even though he could see the other man watching him. He wasn’t sure how Gabriel was responding and if he was being honest he was terrified to find out. After a few lines he composed his face to a deadpan, looking at Gabriel and arching a brow like a challenge. After all, he had just given Gabriel crap for liking the band.

“Ok, Sleeping Beauty can sing.” Gabriel was a second too late to compose the stunned expression on his face and Jack felt his heart pick up speed for a whole other reason. “That’s your new name, by the way. For the groupchat. I think I’m just gonna shorten it to Princess though.”

“I swear, Gabriel you called my dog that.” Jack turned the stereo’s volume down so he could focus on Gabriel better and was surprised when Gabriel just gave him a steady look without saying anything about it. It was almost unnerving, and Jack tried to hide his apprehension. These unreadable expressions may happen less frequently than Gabriel’s smirks but Jack couldn’t help but feel they were just as much a key facet to Gabriel’s personality.

“Yeah, well if the shoe fits, right?” Gabriel was looking back at the road and Jack wasn’t sure if that was a Cinderella reference or not and he absolutely wasn’t willing to mention it. No need to give Gabriel more ammo to use against him.

After a beat of silence Jack looked back at Strike, she’d been awfully quiet that whole time and he was more than a little surprised when he saw her looking at him intently, ears pushed forward and head tilting to the side when she noticed him looking at her.

“She sat up when you started singing. Think she likes your voice, Princess.” Gabriel wasn’t smiling when Jack looked back to him but there was a certain warmth to his expression that made Jack smile.

“Yeah, I used to sing to her when she was smaller. Now I do it when she’s scared or anxious to calm her down. And Gabriel I swear if you keep calling me Princess I’m going to make it my mission to ruin your macho edgelord image.”

“Is that a threat, Princess?” And Jack caught Gabriel looking at him from the corner of his eye. Too much amusement glimmered in that look and Jack was glad Gabriel was driving because it was a good, legitimate barrier. He couldn’t shove the man when he was driving. There were dogs in the car. He settled for teasing him, feeling that playful edge spark up again.

“Oh Gabriel, it’s a promise.” And really, Jack could get used to this kind of game. Heat flashed in Gabriel's eyes and Jack smirked, enjoying being the antagonist for once. He hummed while Gabriel tested his grip on the steering wheel. It was just easy to flirt with him, Jack’s usual anxieties well in the back of his mind.

“Check on the group chat.” The order didn’t have any bite and Jack laughed at his brief victory as he got his phone out. He made sure to unmute the chat before opening the groups icon. He saw Angela hadn’t messaged him yet and made a mental note to call her later. She was probably at work now.

 

 **[Hanzo]** You know, I never thought I would have to find out just how gay my brother actually is.

 **[dollypartongay]** last i checked gen is bi but what ya mean?

 **[Hanzo]** You’re right but the technicalities are unimportant when he’s so clearly thirsting after someone he’s just met.

 **[dollypartongay]** well i mean after yesterday i think it's too late to start complaining about things like that

 **[Hanzo]** You do not understand, this is worse. Just get here soon and put me out of my misery. He’s been cooing over this man’s “dog” since we got here. Sparrow is, once again, receiving none of the training she needs.

 **[Morrison]** Gabriel did say dog parks are gay culture.

 **[Hanzo]** _Refrain_ from validating this.

 **[Morrison]** Sure sure, I think we should be there soon.

 **[dollypartongay]** im parking now. who all ya got in the party?

 **[Morrison]** Strike, Bean and Nev. Gabriel’s been torturing us all with bad music.

 **[dollypartongay]** lmao please tell me it was metal or something

 **[Morrison]** System of a Down

 **[dollypartongay]** my guy never fails to impress

**[sparklebitch changed dollypartongay’s username to McD]**

**[McD]** aw gen don’t be like that that username was iconic

 **[sparklebitch]** (×_×#

 **[sparklebitch]** Also Hanzo unlike _some_ people I let my dog _live_ , Sparrow is a free spirit I refuse to tame

 

“Jesse just got there and I think Genji is annoying Hanzo?” Jack wasn’t too sure but that was pretty much all he could gather from the bit he witnessed. More than ready to back out of the current conversation, he read some previous messages he’d missed; mostly the group asking where he was and before that Jesse and Genji debating whether or not Sakura and Sparrow could be the muscle for a sled team if Gunner was the lead.

“Well that explains why Genji stopped blowing up my phone. I thought I had a vibrator in my pocket there for a while.” Gabriel took the next turn and Jack attempted to not comment on that but really, how could he not?

“Have you left them in your pocket before?” And really it was just curiosity, because _how_ do you forget you have a vibe in your pocket? How would you know what it feels like to have one in your pocket if it weren’t on? What circumstances were required for anyone to have that knowledge? Jack had so many questions and too few answers.

“No but I accidentally grabbed the wrong pair of jeans one morning, returning those to the guy was kind of awkward.” And really, that just left Jack with more questions than it answered. Jack let it go, that rabbit hole wasn’t one he felt like jumping into.

Checking on Strike he was happy to find her just looking out the window, alert but not on edge. At the next red light he took a picture, the sun lighting her dark fur up to make her look like she had a halo. He spent a bit of time editing it before sending both pictures he had taken so far to Angela, knowing she would see them after she got home from work. When he looked up again Gabriel was pulling into the parking lot, it had taken about fifteen minutes but Jack didn’t feel like he’d been in the car for such a small amount of time. Strike immediately started barking, and she readily jumped down when Jack opened her door. He had to be quick to catch her leash and was only a little envious when Bean just sat down patiently as Gabriel got Nev out. Jack adjusted his bag and his grip on Strike’s leash while he had the time.

“Ready?” Gabriel had his backpack over his shoulder as he swapped his grip on the two leashes. When Jack nodded Gabriel led them inside, which was probably for the best because Jack had no idea what to expect.

 

He followed Gabriel through a lobby and down a few halls before they got into a large room. It reminded Jack of a hangar almost, because of how big it was. There were a few sectioned off areas, the fences taller than he was accustomed to. The yards seemed to be organized by size, a few larger ones had multiple dogs in them while smaller ones seemed to only have one or two. Jack noticed Jesse and Hanzo in one of the larger ones, Genji leaning on the fence talking to another man Jack thought he recognized from the apartment complex, but he wasn't sure.

“This looks fancy.” He breathed out, seeing a few other people around, their dogs running around obediently and precisely. While Gunner and Sparrow played fence tag with another dog in the opposite yard, Sakura was intently following Hanzo’s directions. Jack hadn’t thought such a big dog would have been able to move that quickly.

“Yeah, Hanzo does agility trials with Sakura, her show name is in Japanese but I think he said it means ‘Cherry blossom dragon’. Sound’s pretty when he says it but I always butcher it.” They’d gotten to the fence now and Gabriel went into the little entrance yard before Jack, though he held the gate open. Once it was secure behind them they unleashed the dogs. Walking in almost had both of them knocked over as the three dogs ran in to sniff at Gunner and Sparrow, Jack not expecting Nevermore to be quite the bully about getting past him that she turned out to be.

Looking at Gabriel next was almost a reflex, his breath catching in his throat when he noticed Gabriel was already looking at him. For a moment Jack froze, the unexpected eye contact catching him off guard until Gabriel looked to Nevermore and shrugged. It was weird, and Jack wasn’t sure why he had reacted like that. Something about how intense Gabriel’s looks were, how sharp his gaze could be. Jack felt like he was being seen through, nothing could hide from that gaze. He really hoped he wasn’t just being paranoid. He had done a lot of work to get past that after coming home.

“It’s been a while since she got to come out, I should have remembered she’s a bigger bully than Bean.” Gabriel had this fond smile as he mentioned it, his shoulders shaking in a laugh that Jack easily shared. Letting go of his overthinking wasn’t easy, but he wanted to enjoy himself without it for once.

“Why hasn’t she been out?” They started walking again, falling into step as they started towards the others. Hanzo was a bit further away from Jesse, still working with Sakura. They walked towards Jesse, Genji still over towards the other yard.

“Normally I don't bring Nev out unless I know our friend Ana is going to bring her dog. Horus keeps Gunner from getting too wild, but Gunner is more tame when he's inside of a building. Jesse thinks Nev is the cutest thing to exist, but I think that’s because she bit the fuck out of him the first day he met her.” Gabriel explained, ignoring Jesse’s indignant yell as they finally got into hearing range.

“Well, Jack. Good to see you made it! Glad to have _some_ decent company.” Jesse was kneeling down as he spoke, holding his arms out to Strike and burying his face into her fur when she ran up to him.

“You just want me around because of my dog.” Jack feigned offense, crossing his arms over his chest. He tried to keep from smiling when Gabriel rolled his eyes and mimed kicking Jesse in the ass from where he stood behind him.

“Well she is mighty cute.” Jesse was unapologetic, and Strike was obviously loving the attention. Jack shook his head and looked to Gabriel for help, this time laughing as Gabriel acted out lining up a proper kick. When he caught Jack’s playful expression he almost stumbled, aborting the violence he had been preparing. Jack raised an eyebrow, Hanzo shaking his head as Gabriel attempted to recover before clearing his throat.

“You got it wrong, Jess. Jack's definitely cuter.” Which was _not_ the direction Jack had expected and he was halfway through a shocked stutter when Jesse started laughing. Gabriel offered a roguish grin, and Jack settled into a disgruntled frown.

“I suppose he _is_ your type.” Jesse let go of Strike, standing as the golden retriever bound over to the other dogs. Jack casually slipped his heel under Jesse’s and swept his legs out from under him. Jesse tumbled down with a loud yelp, immediately being swarmed by the four dogs near them. “But _why_?” Jesse wheezed as Bean walked over his stomach.

“You didn’t defend my dogs honor.” Was all Jack said before walking the few feet that separated him and Hanzo, Strike yipping as she followed closely, dancing around his feet. Gabriel’s laughter followed him again and Jack ruffled his dogs ears. “Don’t worry baby, you’re absolutely cuter than me.” Jack reassured her. The laughter at his back had him smiling by the time he reached Hanzo.

“I see you are getting well acquainted with Jesse and their shenanigans?” Hanzo had moved away from the group to get Sakura moving again, and he spoke evenly as Jack stood beside him, though he didn’t take his eyes off of Sakura. There was a competitive edge to how he watched the Akita, critical and accessing as she raced through the track. Jack was kind of blown away by how _fast_ she was, it almost looked like her feet never left the ground her stride was so smooth.

“It’s an easy thing to get familiar with, I think.” And it was true, for the most part. Jack’s anxiety was far from gone, but it was easier to set aside here. He watched as Strike went to follow after Sakura, the Akita doing a good job of ignoring her shadow. Strike tried following, through when confronted with a long tunnel she skid to a halt and barked, only returning to Sakura’s side when she emerged from the tube.

“That’s good to hear, Genji thought perhaps the group had been too much for you and they had scared you off.” Hanzo looked to Jack now, a small amused smile tilting his expression and Jack gave a small smile in return. Satisfied, Hanzo looked back towards the dogs. “I was also told to invite you over for coffee, at your convenience. I think Genji is inclined to make you a regular friend.”

The invitation sat hopefully between them and Jack wasn’t sure if it was Genji or Hanzo who were truly behind it. He did believe Genji to be the one who had worried about scaring him off, the guy seemed like the kind to worry over making new friends. But he also thought that Hanzo was the more ‘bond over coffee’ type. At this point Sakura sat panting beside Hanzo, Strike whining for her attention.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I appreciate the invitation.” Hanzo offered him another small smile and mentioned messaging him about it later, and Jack remembered he still needed to talk to Angela… though she probably wouldn’t hold him actually being social against him… probably.

Looking over to where Jesse, Genji and Gabriel had grouped up Jack noticed Gunner was pawing distrustfully at another tunnel. This one was fabric, and as Jack watched something was moving inside of it. Gunner was growling by now, fur raised, and when that fast moving object bolted out Gunner leap away with a terrified yelp. Nevermore, unphased, bolted past him. Bean practically bowled Jesse over as she chased Nev.

“Has Strike ever been to an agility course?” Hanzo’s unimposing voice got his attention again and Jack looked back, he glanced down to where Strike was practically laying at Sakura’s feet and shook his head.

“No, before going to the park I’d only ever really taken her hiking.” He knelt down to pet her, giving the Akita a few good scruffs while he was at it. Sakura huffed and leaned into the touch, giving her tail a few wags. Strike on the other hand had entirely rolled over to get Jack to pet her belly.

“We could try her on the course then. Go ahead and leash her, she’ll be easier to lead.” Hanzo made a small hand gesture and Sakura was standing, watching her owner intently. Jack quietly clipped Strike’s lead and stood. He followed Hanzo over to one of the smaller bridges and watched as he commanded her to go up, Sakura not hesitating as she jumped up the small height first before her paws caught on the treads, she really was fast.

“Now, get a treat or something she’ll want. Lead her up to the bridge and hold it a few feet away from her but over it.” The first part was easy enough, Strike sitting in front of the bridge obediently. When Jack showed her the treat Gabriel had thrown into the bag he had to keep in a laugh as her eyes dilated just a bit.

“Come on girl, get it.” He encouraged, and Strike danced her paws before standing with her tail wagging. Eventually she barked impatiently and tried to go to the side of the bridge, when that didn’t work she resorted to whining.

“Now tug on her leash enough she feels the pressure for her to go forward.” Jack took the advice, and with that Strike barked and jumped up onto the bridge after a moment. “Good, give her the treat but don’t let her jump off. You need to guide her over it.”

Strike did try to jump off the bridge after she got her treat but Jack was quick. Keeping her leash short he got her to walk along over it. When she jumped off the other end he gave her another treat. He and Hanzo worked at it for a while before giving the dogs a break and Jack was rather proud when Strike started chasing Sakura over the bridges. Seeing how he had expanded her world just a bit more by teaching her how to do something had him smiling as he watched her.

“You two done bein nerds?” Jesse called over, smirking when Hanzo glared at him. Jack shrugged and after a moment he and Hanzo walked over to join the others.

“Enriching our dogs lives is not a bad thing, Jesse.” Hanzo added as he swiped a water bottle from Genji’s backpack and handed it to Jack.

“That...entire sentence, yeah I rest my case. Have to say, your girl sure learns quick.” Jesse looked over to where Gunner had joined Strike in chasing Sakura, though when the two ran up the bridge Gunner resorted to barking and weaving around it's base.

“Gunner would be just as capable if you taught him.” Hanzo was about to say more when Genji abruptly snatched Jack's shirt and pulled him over.

“Jack I need you to help me. Gabriel will not! He is refusing to make small talk that I can work with.” Genji’s whisper was fierce as he leaned in close, voice quick and tense in his annoyance. Jack discreetly looked over to see Gabriel was in fact chatting with the man in the other yard, from what Jack could tell it was about music but not in a way he understood, their voices only carrying part of the conversation to them.

Now that he was closer he could tell the man was in fact another of his neighbors, though he wasn't sure which apartment or floor. The guy was just too damn fast, a constant whirlwind as he came and went from the building, and always with music around him. Jack hadn't noticed the small dog before though. It almost looked like a Jack Russell but he wasn't sure. Again he considered whether or not he needed to be some kind of expert on dogs. It would help, probably.

“Sure?” He couldn't really escape the vice grip Genji had on his shirt anyways, and it seemed enough to appease him. Genji lit up, smiling in a deviant kind of way that made Jack wonder what he just agreed to. Genji let him go, smoothing out his shirt.

“Excellent! Now go bring that conversation back into the realm of normal. Just… I don't know, bat your eyes at Gabriel a few times, that will bring Gabriel's head out of his ass.” Genji led, well more so dragged, Jack over to the fence.  
  
“Gabriel! Jack was just telling me about the music you tortured him with on the way here!” Genji said it pleasantly, smiling and leaning against the fence again. Gabriel turned towards him and gave Genji a considering look, that same even stare that had unnerved Jack earlier, and Jack wondered what he was seeing.

“Just because you can’t appreciate it doesn’t mean Jackie here doesn’t. Speaking of music, Lúcio was just telling me he was DJing for that new club you were talking about.” Gabriel let it go, opening up the conversation for Genji.

“Really?” Surprise widened Genji’s eyes, his piercing catching the light as he quirked a brow. Jack wondered why he hadn’t noticed it before, it didn’t look new, but Genji was already about to say something else when the man in the other yard spoke.

“Hey you’re that guy who moved in downstairs, right?” Jack spooked a bit, coughing to hide his jolt. He’d gotten caught up observing everyone else. The man had his dreads pulled back, and Jack noticed a tattoo he hadn’t seen before, it looked like a tree frog on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I think I’ve seen you around the building? Name’s Jack.” He went to offer his hand but stopped short, the fence between them. Silence lasted for a beat before the four of them started laughing.

“Yeah, hey I’m Lúcio, my friend Hana said you would be interesting!” Jack decided Lúcio was easy to like, all open smiles and light hearted friendliness. He stopped paying attention as Genji caught the man’s attention, looking instead over to where Hanzo and McCree were talking and just a bit further off towards the other dogs. He saved Gabriel for last, and wasn’t as surprised to find the man looking at him already.

“It’s getting late, we should probably head back?” Jack checked the time, realizing they had been there a few hours. Angela would be home soon, he definitely wanted to call her soon.

“Yeah, Nev seems pretty tired.” Gabriel nodded as he spoke, and Jack went to leash Strike as Gabriel said their goodbyes. He was a little surprised when Nev followed him to the gate.

“She knows you rode here with us.” Gabriel explained as he walked Bean up before clipping Nev’s leash. Jack waved to Hanzo before following Gabriel out and to the car. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until he finally sat down in the passenger seat. Strike hadn’t given them half the trouble she had before, too tired to argue. Jack couldn’t blame her really.

 

When Gabriel started the car he paused the music, flipping through his phone before playing something. He started the car as the first few words rumbled out, and Jack looked out the window as he listened. He wasn’t sure who the singer was, or the band, but it was definitely different from what they had been listening to earlier. Jack found himself side eyeing Gabriel as he listened though, wondering why he chose this song.

“Hey what song is this?” He tilted his head in Gabriel’s direction, still leaning towards the window. Outside the car the sun was setting, the street lights flickering on as they drove down the near vacant roads. Jack would have to remember these back roads, they were quieter than the busier streets they’d used to get to the agility facility originally.

“Dirty Laundry, by All Time Low.” Gabriel side eyed him briefly and Jack shook his head, he definitely wasn’t familiar with All Time Low but he liked the song and found himself humming along to it. The lyrics had him thinking about how Gabriel would watch him, and how those looks felt like Gabriel could see more than Jack showed.

“You have strange music taste.” Was all he said, and Gabriel gave a low and light hearted laugh. A street light illuminated the inside of the car and Jack caught his breath, because at the same time the tree line cleared and Gabriel was lit by the sunset. Golden, and Jack had to stop staring as he felt his heart in his throat. Sunsets had always been his favorite part of flying, he had never really appreciated them as much after being grounded. He had never been able to find the same beauty they had given him when he was in the sky, and for a moment Gabriel had reminded him of that. Discreetly he looked away, he watched Strike for the rest of the drive, how she just curled up and slept the entire time. A few other songs went by, he idly sang along to the ones he knew and smiled when Gabriel joined in. Despite how quietly Gabriel sang, Jack enjoyed the timbre of the other man’s voice. Not as deep as his, but rougher. The tension that had built up in Jack’s shoulders relaxed as they sang and Gabriel drove, and sooner than he expected they were back in the parking lot. The car idled for a second, Gabriel holding off shutting down the jeep. They shared a look, and Jack felt it too, the unwillingness to stop this moment where the sunset illuminated the interior and it was just them.

Strike had jumped up though, her bark breaking into everything and Jack laughed when Gabriel offered a smile. Gabriel cut the engine and Jack grabbed their bags and Strike’s leash, meeting Gabriel outside of the car as he got Nev and Bean. The weather was warm now, a pleasant contrast to the chilled air that had greeted Jack in the morning. It had turned out to be a rather long day, all things considered. The run, Dr. Amari’s, the agility course.

“By the way what did Genji look like he was about to kill you over?” Gabriel caught Jack’s attention as he walked up, jeep beeping to acknowledge that it was locked. Bean licked Strike as they got close enough, Strike wagging her tail before walking towards the front door of the apartment complex. When she reached the end of her leash she looked back at Jack.

“Something about you being an awful wingman.” Jack said nonchalant, following Strike as Gabriel started walking towards the building as well.

“Well, that can’t be true. I’m an excellent wingman, he just can’t run game.” They were walking close, easy and relaxed as their shoulders brushed every few steps.

“And you can?” Jack scoffed playfully, opening the door for them and smiling when Gabriel laughed as he walked inside. Jack follows, letting the door shut behind him.

“Yeah I’d say s--” Gabriel’s voice tapered off as Jack looked up, their faces closer than either of them expected. The entrance to the apartment was even with the first floor, the stairs to the second floor to the right. With the two of them and the dogs, it was close, and Jack caught his breath as neither of them moved. Something, something like their light hearted banter and teasing and warm like the sunset behind them. Something like the spark Jack caught in Gabriel’s eyes sometimes. Like the spark Jack felt when he saw Gabriel smile. _Something_ was there and he could see Gabriel felt it too, the way Gabriel looked him in the eye, looked over his scarred face and mouth and let out a breath slow and shaky.

“Jack, could I..” He started to ask, voice careful, and Jack felt his heart hammering in his chest because,

“Kiss me?” He asked, because if it wasn’t what Gabriel was going to ask then _god_ but if it was then _yes_ , and then Gabriel was. His hand gentle as he carefully tilted Jack’s jaw and that little space between their faces was gone and Jack felt weak and invigorated all at once. His eyes slipped shut and Jack felt himself lean into Gabriel, felt himself touch Gabriel’s arm and getting lost in just how smooth Gabriels lips were, firm and guiding and-- Nev barked, twice, impatient.

Gabriel pulled away, laughing gently and smiling. A breathy sound Jack felt in his own chest.

“Little girl has spoken, goodnight, Jack.” Gabriel stepped back, his hand the last part to leave him and Jack held back the urge to cover the spot Gabriel’s hand had been.

“Yeah, night.” And his voice was just a bit rougher than he’d like, but Gabriel is still smiling and Jack heads upstairs. He makes it into his own apartment this time, before he screams into his hands.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My trash heap blog is lunarli0n / basura


	3. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I ended up cutting this one in half or so because I just, will not get this out if I don't.  
> Stressed, depressed, ain't no beta so this might be a mess.

Three weeks had passed since Angela had texted him to ask if he could call, and Jack still hadn’t been able to find the time to do it. The text had come the night after his visit with Dr. Amari, and he’d been too drained to say anything besides the fact that he couldn’t that night, and that something else had happened that was too much to text about, though he had comforted her by saying it wasn't life or death.

 

They’d been texting regularly since then as they usually did, but it wasn’t the same, the unspoken situation hanging over his head like a looming weight. She never pressed him about it, only promised to try and call another time and throughout this he did end up texting her about the visit with Dr. Amari at least. That at least he could summarize. Still he hadn't been able to bring up Gabriel, and Jack was always grateful she was patient with him. Privately, he was relieved, though that made him feel worse. But he knew he should have a better handle on how he felt about the whole  _ Gabriel kissed me _ situation before he talked to Ang about it. He just, he hadn't had the time to actually deal with it. It really didn't help that everytime he saw Gabriel in the hall his heart decided it needed to try and escape his chest, like a hummingbird in a cage. They hadn't kissed again, but the flirting had only escalated and he  _ really  _ needed to talk to Angela. Or perhaps Zenyatta, though he wasn't sure how comfortable he was telling his therapist about his disaster of a love life.

_ Another time _ ended up being an overcast afternoon spent in Hanzo’s cozy little cafe. The cafe was toeing the line between comfortably inhabited and empty when his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with Angela’s contact photo. Jack quickly and politely excused himself from the amiable company of Hanzo and Genji, stepping out into the narrow hallway that led to the restroom. Out here, the buzz of chatter that drifted across the main room was almost cut off completely, and the light from his still-buzzing phone threw dramatic shadows against the walls. The hallway was almost cramped, dim and quiet and perfectly out of the way. There was a wooden bench across from the door to the bathrooms, and Jack settled down onto it before opening the call. 

 

“Hey, Ang.” He spoke warmly, a weight already lifting from his shoulders as her voice greeted him back.

 

“Alright, we are going to skip the pleasantries. Tell me what happened.” Despite the clear impatience he could hear the genuine interest underneath it. As professional as Angela could be, she had always been keen on gossip. Even if it never left her, she was the kind who enjoyed  _ knowing  _ what was happening. And Jack understood, he  _ did _ kind of leave her hanging with no indication as to why. Jack was surprised Angela had let this silence stand so long, given that the last time he’d done this he’d been in the hospital. Guilt coiled in his gut as he considered just how long she’d been waiting, she’d probably been really worried even with his reassurances that it wasn't a bad thing. Though, he supposed her patience was a testament to how much she trusted him to be honest with her. 

 

“Yes, ma’am.” He didn’t salute, but it was implied in his tone and he was rewarded with her laughter. He couldn’t help smiling, an honest lopsided smile that came so naturally whenever Ang was involved. “I actually don’t know where I should start.”

 

“Well, you  _ could _ start with what you couldn’t tell me before! Listen, we both know I value your health and wellbeing, you  _ know _ I feel that’s important, but I swear, if you leave me in the dark any longer I will resort to violence.” The firmness of her tone offered no other options, even as Jack teased her about her pacifism. “There’s a time and a place, Jack.” Her response was so serious Jack couldn’t help but snicker.

 

“Alright, alright. Well, you remember I started going to the dog park? Well, I made some friends, been hanging out with them pretty regularly actually, you’d be proud of me.  And, uh, well, one of them, Gabriel? He lives in the same apartment complex as me. And, well, you see, he kind of…kissed me? Well he, we had been flirting and he, we were, we got really close by accident and he kind of started to ask if he could kiss me but I sort of just  _ said it  _ and  _ asked him to  _ and then he  _ did _ and I swear to god Angela I have never felt more gay in my life.” He tried his best to explain it, to explain it  _ rationally _ but he just couldn’t put his words in any kind of order, and it all came out in a jumbled rush towards the end. He held the phone close waiting for Angela to respond as a beat or two passed and he wondered if she had lost the call connection until --

 

“Jack Morrison, you are a disaster.” She let it out with a breath that was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, and Jack felt his face heat despite the fondness in her tone. “So, his name is Gabriel?” And, well, Jack needed no more prompting to start talking about  _ Gabriel _ . His initial attraction, how easy it was to be around him, how he was with his dogs and what he’d done for them. He held himself back from going into too much detail, not ready to talk about the music or the nicknames or the sunset, despite how he wanted to. Angela had done a lot to earn his trust, to get him to be comfortable sharing with her but he still wasn’t sure how he felt about it himself. 

 

Because the feeling he had during that drive, with the sun painting everything it touched gold, was different, somehow. It was different, and he didn’t know how to explain it even to himself. But everything else? Easy. Gabriel was attractive and funny and Jack was a weak gay man. Case in point. 

 

“I think you might want to ask him out on a date, Jack, see where it goes?” Angela suggested and Jack gave a non-committal sound before easing the conversation into talking about his visit with Dr. Amari, and then it flowed into how Angela had joined a network of vets in the same region that Jack had moved to. The conversation came to a hurried end when Jack heard the sound of the door to the front of the cafe opening and a bit of a ruckus following. Angela left the call with a promise to visit when she could, and Jack headed back up to the front where the tables and serving bar were.

 

Despite spending a good four out of seven days a week at the cafe, Jack still felt his adrenaline spike as he listened to the unidentifiable noise coming from ahead. Unthinkingly, he found himself quieting his own footsteps and breathing, tensing for if the worst were ahead. Apprehension warred with his critical thinking. He didn’t hear Hanzo yelling, but the deep timbre of a man's voice was raised and clearly agitated. Jack did his best to settle himself, to breathe easier and relax his tension, but none of it worked until he saw the agitated person was Jesse. The possibility of a threat gone, Jack sighed and shook his head at himself as he finally pocketed his phone. Only then did he realize Genji was no longer in the cafe, and he wondered how long he had been on the phone with Angela. 

 

“Jack!” Jesse cheered as Jack settled into a stool next to him and Hanzo sighed. Whatever they had been talking about was clearly something Hanzo had no interest in discussing in front of Jack, and seemed a little put out and harried. Though, if Jack was as perceptive as he thought he was, he would be willing to guess it was more show than anything. Spending so much time with Hanzo over the past three weeks gave Jack a few clues into how much of Hanzo’s exterior really  _ was  _ for show. Even now with mild aggravation painting his expression, Jack could pick out the slight prickle of amusement he was holding back. He probably spent too much time, paid too much attention, to the people around him. But it was in his nature to pinpoint other’s tells, to be able to read the conversation around him that wasn’t spoken out loud. His commander had always told him if he was fluent in body language, he’d always be a step ahead.

 

Well, at least now the skill eased his anxiety.

 

“Jesse,” Jack turned his head away from that almost-smile towards the cowboy’s beaming face. “What are you bothering Hanzo about this time?”

 

“Gabriel and Genji done shot me down, and now Hanzo here won’t get himself out of the coop either. It’s an excellent day for a hike and all my friends are proving themselves to be city slicker’s.” Jesse complained expressively, the theatrical display more a show than anything, even though Jack had a feeling that wasn’t exactly the truth. A successful show, Jack would add, as Hanzo hid his laughter and smile with a sigh and turning more to Jack. Jack let the feeling slip away as he looked to Hanzo.

 

“Jack, would you please remind Jesse that it is supposed to  _ rain _ today?” Hanzo barely got to finish his sentence though as Jesse jumped right back in.

 

“But it’s supposed to be a  _ summer _ thunderstorm. It’s gonna be warm, I promise. And if we head out soon we can even get to my favorite lookout before it hits! Ain’t you ever wanted to sit outside and watch a storm?” Jack leaned back, watching Jesse defend his plan and watching as the challenging tone sparked Hanzo’s argumentative nature. It was clear why they were such good friends. Watching them was its own kind of entertainment. Jack casually grabbed his tea from earlier and took a sip as the back-and-forth played out.

 

“ _ No _ , McCree, I have not.” The impassiveness of Hanzo’s face was a tell Jack had figured out fairly quickly; he was lying, but it wasn’t an  _ important  _ lie. “I have no desire to go gallivanting off into the woods just to be eaten by mosquitos and to be soaked by a ‘summer thunderstorm’. Perhaps you should ask Jack, since he’s the only one who hasn’t had the sense to outright refuse you yet.” Finally whatever they had been talking about before seemed to win out on Hanzo’s mood. Jack could only guess as the aggravation and coldness in the man’s tone was sharper than anything he’d heard yet.

 

The downside to being able to read between the lines here was that Jack could see more than anything how harshly Jesse took that, for some reason. Jesse slid into a lazy smile that didn’t reach his eyes and leaned back, letting out a showy sigh as he turned to Jack.

 

“Well since  _ some  _ people are assholes about  _ fun,  _ what do you say Jack? Few hours till the storm gets here so there’s plenty of time.” Something was going on there - between Jesse and Hanzo, and Jack wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know. Hanzo had withdrawn to focus on cleaning the counter, resolutely not looking at Jesse. And Jack didn’t miss the way Jesse had turned his back to the other man. Not wanting to be the cause of anymore upset, Jack did the only thing his mom would have approved of in the situation.

 

“Sure, is this a dog hike or a guys hike?” 

  
  


It seemed it was a guys hike, mostly because it was so last minute and there wasn’t really enough time to get the gear and dogs ready for a dog hike. Besides, when Jack hiked with Strike he enjoyed taking his time and enjoying the walk a bit more. With the press of storm clouds overhead, they didn’t really have time to stroll around. 

 

Not to mention the hike itself wasn’t entirely dog friendly, unless it was Jesse, who had a way to clip a dog to his backpack. Jesse had explained that his outdoorsy nature had him looking up all kinds of stuff so he could take Gunner everywhere with him, but he liked to give the equipment a solid inspection before using it and he hadn’t since their last adventure. Jack found it easy to listen to Jesse talk even as he had to focus on where he was climbing. The warning of snakes hadn’t been something Jack brushed off, and between that concern and Jesse talking Jack found it easier to not comment too much himself. It was therapeutic in a way, to just focus on where he was and what was around him. The air was nice, clearer as they got up the mountain and deeper into the woods. 

 

He wondered if it was weird to think that Jesse's voice seemed to fit in here. Like it was just as natural in this environment as the cicada around them. Jesse himself seemed right at home on the trails, and Jack realized the scene from the cafe had seemed off for more than a few reasons. There had been tension Jack hadn't noticed before, and even now it lingered in a way that Jack couldn't place. He wished he knew how to ask about it, but that had always been Angela's forte. 

 

“Place is right up here.” Jesse broke from his previous chatter as he pointed to where a smaller trail broke away from the main one and Jack nearly startled out of his thoughts. 

 

“That really didn't take too long, the clouds are just rolling in.” Jack covered his surprise, following behind Jesse as they went. 

 

“That's what I kept telling everyone but nooo, they gotta be inside when it storms.” Jesse snorted just as they got to the overlook and Jack was saved from having to make another comment by it. Even if he had something to say it would have been lost, the view was spectacular. 

 

“Holy shit.” Was all he could manage as he took in the valley that opened up below them. They had driven about an hour out of town and had been hiking for the better part of two hours after that and this, this was worth it. The mountains made an imperfect circle around the forest, which crawled over them and was so thick Jack couldn't see any sign of a road, only where spots of towns had been cut out. As the storm came in the treetops rolled like waves, the leaves brushing out their own music and Jack felt a longing he couldn't really explain. Jesse sat close to the edge of the outlook, his movement catching Jack's eye. Looking around his immediate surroundings he realized the outlook was more like a cave, or an overhang. 

 

“Won’t even feel a drop sittin’ under here.” Jesse was looking out over the valley and Jack hummed as he found his own place to sit down, watching as the sun was covered by the storm clouds. He wasn’t really surprised when Jesse pulled out a pack of cigarettes, having grown accustomed to the other man’s habits by now. Jack had always been impressed by Jesse’s ability to  _ always  _ manage to get downwind of whoever he was with, so the smoke blowed away. He remembered Jesse explained it had always been a sort of mood kind of thing, unless it was stress related. Jack wasn’t exactly sure which one counted for the moment.

 

“Hey, everything alright?” he ventured, the first drops of the storm breaking through the air ahead of them. It was a little amazing watching the lighting strike out through the clouds overhead, and Jack appreciated that as Jesse took a moment to reply.

 

“Y’know, I noticed that there ain’t a lot that gets past you, is there?” Jesse was looking out over their scenery as he spoke. Despite the content smile on his face Jack noted the rueful edge to it. 

 

“Yeah, not a lot does.” He hummed, wondering what could bother a man with such a carefree smile like Jesse normally had. As the storm brewed and rain started properly coming down, Jack thought that perhaps he had misjudged Jesse entirely. He knew better than to take people at face value, yet with Jesse that had been so easy. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to have much past his exterior. Like he wore it all on his sleeve.

 

“You ever feel like you know a man, just to realize you don’t know a single thing about him?” Jesse finally started speaking while the rain really started coming down in sheets and thunder rumbled in the distance. “And not an acquaintance situation, either. I’ve known him for years at this point, and sometimes it’s just like he’s an entirely different person! And it, I know people have a right to their privacy. But it just feels like for everytime I get two steps closer, he has to shove me five steps back. I just don’t understand.”    
  
“Have you talked to him about it?” Jack asked, voice quiet to not impose too much. He was definitely assuming this was about Hanzo, but if Jesse wasn’t going to say it then Jack wouldn’t either.

 

“I, no. No I haven’t. I tried once, didn’t go too well. Now I just try to move past it whenever it happens. Not that it happens often! Just, whenever we get close.” And Jack really,  _ really  _ didn’t want to pry in what close meant so he hummed as he considered how to respond. Honestly the more he thought about it the more it seemed to make sense. The tension he had witnessed earlier made more sense even as it made less sense, and it seemed Jesse felt it hadn’t made any sense either. What Jack didn’t understand was how  _ fond _ Hanzo had seemed before he snapped, there had to be something there. 

 

“Enough about that though, ain’t here for a therapy session!” Jesse spoke up again before Jack had figured anything out, and he gestured out ahead of them. “You know this is where I found Gunner?”

 

“How’d you find a dog all the way out here?” Jack let the topic change, a bit relieved though he was still thinking about it. He had a problem with trying to find solutions to puzzles that weren’t his, though he’d gotten better at it. If he let himself focus on something else it’d fade though, with Jesse and Hanzo being his friends maybe he  _ should _ worry about it some. Jack tried not to physically shake his head to clear it, though he did sigh as he let it go. Not his problem.

 

“More so he found me! The first time I found this overhang I was actually lost during a camping trip with Gabriel. We got separated when I slipped and fell off from higher up this mountain, Gabriel never let me live that down. That’s actually when I hurt my arm too. It was night when it happened though and I didn’t have a lot of options, so I got a fire and some food going and the next thing I knew there was this mutt below the overhang. Growled at me more than anything, but he stuck close. Threw some food down to him and the next day when I was leaving he followed me out. Had him ever since.” Jack was about to comment when the sun caught his attention, the way it was lighting up the thunderheads even through the storm, throwing Jack off for a moment as the dark clouds looked  _ warm _ . He couldn’t help but tense, remembering how clouds looked with fire in the sky-

 

“Jack? Hey, Jack?” Jesse had moved, shifted to face him more and concern was clear on his face, his hands close to reaching out yet explicitly not in Jack’s space. Even as Jack caught up with the situation his face heated, the abrupt thought of Jesse  _ knowing  _ making Jack uncomfortable for absolutely no good reason. There was no way Jesse knew or could even guess what had happened. Yet how he was handling it reminded Jack of the way Angela eased him after a flare up. Cautious, trying not to startle him. He appreciated it, god did he appreciate it, but that didn’t kick out the chagrin as it swept over him.

 

“Sorry, sorry. I uh, I heard you.” He rubbed a hand down his face, the heaviness of the next thunder doing a lot to help him ground himself. He thought over what Jesse had said, catching on the part he’d been confused about. He hadn’t noticed anything about Jesse’s arm before- his quick thoughts were cut off as Jesse spoke again, voice rapid and clumsy all too much like Jack’s own thoughts,

 

“No it’s ok, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything or I don’t know-”

 

“It was just the clouds, that’s all. I uh, survived a pretty nasty plane crash. It’s ok.” Jack coughed, looked away and back, “You seem to know a lot about uh-”

 

“Yeah, yeah. My brother- Gabriel, when he came back from the army, a lot of things just bothered him. Weren’t his fault or nothin, just how it was.” Jesse settled back to lounge against the rock, actively talking off hand and not making a big deal of it. Jack was thankful, really. It gave him room to treat the situation the same way and so he looked back out into the storm, letting the brief tension fade.

 

“Gabriel, you mean, uh, Bean’s Gabriel?” He didn’t know how to say  _ our Gabriel  _ without it sounding weird. Despite how close he’d gotten over the past few weeks with everyone at the park and Hanzo’s cafe, he wasn’t entirely sure of his standing with the group yet. Even though they had been more than inclusive, Jack was sure overtime it would even out. Maybe one day he would stop overthinking these interactions like he did with Angela. Probably. That’s usually how it worked.

 

“Ha, yeah,  _ Bean’s  _ Gabriel. We uh, grew up real close. Though I guess he’s not  _ actually  _ my brother, closest thing I got to a family now.” Jack hummed, connecting a few dots in how Jesse and Gabriel interacted. Brothers, it, seemed pretty fitting actually. Jack had thought they were just exceptionally close friends but this made more sense.

 

“I hadn’t realized he was military. I was airforce, that’s uh, when I crashed actually. Tore me up pretty bad, but I made it.” He blocked out actually thinking about it, kept the flames at bay as he spoke. The details didn’t matter, and Jack looked over to Jesse just as the sun broke through the clouds on the horizon. Distracted, Jack watched the sunset just as lightning flashed through the clouds and Jesse whistled. They both took a moment to just appreciate it all, the silence more comfortable than Jack could have hoped for. 

 

“You know Jack, I can tell you’re a man of privacy, but I can’t shake the feeling you’ve got a lot going on. You’re not much older than me, and goin through something like that, it couldn’t have been all that long ago... Now we ain’t much, but the group has seen its fair share of trouble. You don’t have to hide so much from us. You’re good company, y’ain’t gotta worry so much about us not wanting you around.” Jesse did look at Jack this time and after a tense moment Jack sighed, long and heavy. Angela had called him out like that when she’d first decided to be his friend. He found he still appreciated the kind of personality that wielded that sort of stubborness. 

 

“You remind me of my friend Angela. She’s actually the reason I moved out to this city. And, she helped me a lot, after the crash. Wouldn’t be anywhere without her.” Jack said in way of avoiding actually addressing what Jesse had said. He was good at that, diverting things he didn’t know how to handle. But, still… what Jesse said had been comforting. “Thanks, though. I, it hasn’t been easy. Moving so far from her, but you’re right. Being with the group has really helped more than I expected. I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate you all.” It was uncomfortable, how genuine it sounded but Jesse just smiled at him, the saint that he was. 

 

“Can’t believe Hanzo missed this.” Jesse said after a while, and Jack had to agree. There was nothing like watching a summer thunderstorm from this place, and until the storm settled they sat and watched the rain pour grey and heavy over the rolling and thrashing trees. It wasn’t until the sun was nearly entirely under the mountains that Jesse got up, offering Jack a hand when he stumbled from his leg cramping. The hike back down was better than Jack had anticipated, the trail mostly untouched due to the thick canopy overhead and the creek nearby that had taken so much of the water Jack had heard it the whole way back.

 

When they got to the truck Jack startled as both their phones went off in a series of incessant beeps and chimes as the devices caught up to having service. For Jack, he felt more alarm than anything at having a missed call and voicemail left by Angela. Without a second thought he unlocked his phone and opened the message. 

 

_ “Jack! You better have a good reason for missing my call!’  _ Her teasing tone set his alarm at ease, and he laughed a bit as it went on.  _ ‘I have to turn in early, so call me tomorrow. I just wanted to say happy birthday! Hope you’re celebrating!’  _

 

Jack was smiling by the end of it until he looked up and saw Jesse’s devious smirk, realizing too late that Jesse had been close enough to hear. He knew that smile well enough by now to know it can only mean trouble. 

 

“Now Jesse-” He tried, opening the truck door as Jesse walked around to the drivers side.

 

“So it’s your birthday, huh? How old are ya?” Jesse’s smile grew more sly as he slid into the drivers side of the truck, sending out a few texts that had the group chat buzzing in a way that made Jack decide he was  _ not _ going to check it right now. 

 

“28, Jesse what are you planning?” And despite his trepidation, Jack found himself smiling as he secured his seatbelt, watching Jesse get the truck going.   
  
“You like drinking? Yeah? Oh buddy, we are so fucking drinking.” Jesse pulled the truck onto the road leading away from the trail head. When they found the main road Jesse slapped his hand over the radio, unleashing AC/DC from it’s silent prison and Jack felt his shoulders shake with laughter before it bubbled over, Jesse hollering as he sped onto the road.

 

It wasn’t long before Jesse’s phone started going off with a call and he tossed it to Jack, who got it answered and on speaker while Jesse turned the volume down.

 

“Jesse what the fuck was that text about?” Genji’s voice was impatient over the speaker and Jack was pretty sure this is what he missed when the group chat went off earlier.

 

“We’re fuckin drinkin tonight is what the fuck that text’s about, it’s Jacks birthday!” Jesse bit back and Jack had to hold in his laughter. Jesse leaned slightly over, not taking his eyes off the road as he drove.

 

“So you told us to  _ rob a fucking liquor store _ ?” Genji hissed and that was it, Jack nearly dropped the phone as he started laughing, resolving to actually look at the group chat once the call was over.

 

“Obviously I didn’t think y’all would take that seriously, Genji. Crime is bad.” Genji’s response sounded a lot like cursing, though it definitely wasn’t in english.

 

“Just get Gabriel on board, I know he don’t like parties but this is a special occasion! We’ll be uh, Jack what’ll we be doing?” Put on the spot Jack panicked for a moment, holding the phone and looking around as he tried to remember any of the things he had done for celebrations over the past ten years that hadn’t involved his family.

 

“Uh, Uno?” He blanked, remembering only what he and Angela had done last year. At Genji’s absolute screech of laughter and Jesse’s deadpan look Jack riled up. “Uno is a  _ very  _ competitive game, ok. I’ll kick your asses at it for this.” He threatened and Genji screeched again, Jack hearing his  _ ‘We’re going to be playing Uno’  _ as though he had leaned away from the phone _.  _ Jesse straightened up and seemed to gather his strength.

 

“Alright, you heard the man. We’re gonna be playing Uno. Genji, either get creative or look up some drinking games for it.” Jesse conceded. 

 

“Oh, oh, ‘get creative’ he says. Jesse McCree I will have you know I am a practical god at making drinking games. I’ll have us all three different kinds of drunk before the first round is over.” Genji proclaimed, mocking and haughty.

 

“Genji, for everyone’s sake, I really hope not.” Jack slid in, not missing the muttered ‘killjoy’ before Genji said bye. Sliding Jesse’s phone into the empty cup holder, Jack sighed. 

 

“It's been awhile since I properly drank.” He says, a little excited at the prospect of it. Jesse meets his eyes in the mirror and smiles, Jacks mood infectious.

  
“Keep an eye on Genji while we play, he cheats.” Jesse warned good naturedly and Jack let out a bleak laugh.   
  
“It’s fine, everyone cheats at Uno. It’s a no mans game.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey quick update as of [12/3/2018] 
> 
> My computer is broken so writing/editing hasn't really been possible! 
> 
> Also I got a twitter which I'm gonna try and keep dedicated to fandom so if you want feel free to yell there ( anxious_luna )


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